The San people of Southern Africa are often seen as the "first people" of a region that now makes up South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana. While their history has often been condensed into the single story of the "bushman," this work restores the compelling diversity of their history. Organized as a series of conversations conducted by young San interviewers that went out into their communities to collect the thoughts and feelings of their elders and peers, this compilation captures the spirit of modern San communities and helps create an understanding of their rich history. A wealth of information about San communities in other countries such as Angola, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, is also included.

Voices of the San is the first title of its kind in Southern Africa. It is a form of autobiography of the first peoples of this region. Over the years, many books have been written about the San of Southern Africa, who are widely known as the Bushmen and frequently viewed as one entity. Covering eight language groups in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana, young San interviewers went out into their communities and collected the thoughts and feelings, knowledge and understanding, dreams and fears, of their elders and their peers. The interviews they transcribed present the spirit of their communities and highlight the traditional differences and similarities between the groups, the shared history of suffering, and their desire and tenthusiasm for life and most of all, freedom.