Книга представляет собой подлинную энциклопедию разнообразнейших сведений об островах, протянувшихся с севера на юг вдоль побережья Африки, многие из которых (Ассеншен, Сан-Томе, Принсипи, Гомера) почти не известны советскому читателю. Автор сам побывал на этих островах и пережил там много приключений.
Lawrence George Green was a South African journalist and author. He ranks as one of the most prolific writers to come out of Africa. He published on average a book a year between 1933 and 1972, other than the World War 2 years where his duties with the Royal and South African Air Force in north Africa impacted on his free time. In all, he produced 34 books (including a guide for writers), a number of stories for foreign and local magazines and many newspaper articles and letters.