Several days ago, I received my review copy of Atlas of Remote Islands: Fifty Islands I Have Never Set Foot On and Never Will by Judith Schalansky. I had to wait my turn to see the book, however, as my partner Claire picked it up, started reading, and could not put it down! The Atlas contains 50 one-page stories that utterly intrigued her.
I finally got my chance the next day. As the title indicates, the book contains 50 topographical maps depicting fifty [mostly] little known and isolated islands; all are drawn to the same scale (1:125,000). The area and population of each island is indicated as well as its distance to the nearest land masses and a historical timeline. The real highlight of the Atlas, however, is the collection of the fifty short stories that were researched and retold by Schanlansky.
Although most of the fifty islands are destined to perpetual obscurity, a few do have enduring historical significance: St. Helena, in the middle of South Atlantic Ocean, was the island to which Napoleon was exiled and died. Easter Island, in the South Pacific, was denuded by its first inhabitants, twelve tribes who chopped down all the giant palms, leaving the island an ecological disaster; tourists still come to view the 887 monumental stone statues that make this an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The summit of Iwo Jima is the spot where World War II's iconic photograph was taken — six U.S. soldiers raising the American flag in a premature declaration of victory.
The book would be a thoughtful holiday gift idea for aspiring geographers and cartographers - or anyone with an eclectic interest in natural history.
copyright (c) 2010 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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