Dreams & Dust is a unique book and an important contribution to the evolving new historiography of South Africa. It is an overview of the 58 (mostly) short-lived republics that have existed in South Africa since 1795 – and an equally-fascinating 20 fictional ones (Bapetikosweti, Fook, Wakanda etc). This comprehensive, meticulously-researched book stretches to 611 pages, and includes 85 seldom-seen historical maps and many extraordinary images.

It is a must for any bookshelf for people interested in the uncovered aspects of South Africa’s rich and tumultuous past – while the section of the fictional states and the concluding chapters take on an aspirational, forward-looking view.