Atlas of Improbable Places: A Journey to the World's Most Unusual Corners (Unexpected Atlases)

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WINNER OF THE EDWARD STANFORD TRAVEL ILLUSTRATED BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD FOR Atlas of Vanishing Places. Atlas of Improbable Places shows the modern world from surprising new vantage points that will inspire urban explorers and armchair travellers alike to consider a new way of understanding the world we live in. Atlas of Improbable Places has that rare, through-the-wardrobe quality. It is a delightful compendium of the strangest places on the planet.’- DAILY TELEGRAPH Architectural Oddities - did you know that the London Bridge built in 1831 today stands in Arizona?

And Subterranean Realms - I did not know there was an underground railway in London dedicated to mail delivery. We're always happy to answer any questions or queries you might have, please get in touch using one of the methods below. Even though I found the book fascinating, it is shallow when talking about most places. In some cases, places I found more interesting, I felt the need to search for more pictures and info. I believe that a deep description of places was not the purpose of the book, though.With beautiful maps and stunning photography illustrating each destination, Atlas of Improbable Places is a fascinating voyage to the world's most incredible destinations. As the Island of Dolls and the hauntingly titled Door to Hell — an inextinguishable fire pit - attest, mystery is never far away. The truths and myths behind their creation are as varied as the destinations themselves. Standing as symbols of worship, testaments to kingships or even the strange and wonderful traditions of old and new, these curious places are not just extraordinary sights but reflections on man's own relationship with the world around us. This engrossing book traverses the heights and depths, the beauty and terror, of our world.’ - THE OBSERVER One such listing is the Star City, a training facility for astronauts. To test the ability to endure long durations of isolation as they travel to Mars and beyond.

First, my expectations. I expected more photographs and/or drawings/maps. I was thinking more along the lines of a coffee table or end table book, which usually means visually attractive as well as informative. This fell far short of what I would call visually appealing, though for a book that isn't supposed to be aesthetically pleasing it functions just fine. Travis Elborough goes in search of the obscure and bizarre, the beautiful and arcane. His unique atlas shows you the modern world from surprising new vantage points. Discover the secret Soviet city of Zheleznogorsk and the church tower of San Juan Parangaricutiro, miraculously still standing as the sole survivor of a town sunk by lava. Explore the underground realms of Beijing and Berlin, dug for refuge and espionage, and the floating worlds of remote Palmerston and the macabre Island of Dolls. The chapter headings give a suggestion of the sorts of places covered, although sometimes that’s a stretch.The truths and myths behind these hidden lairs, forgotten cities and improbable wonders are as varied as the destinations themselves. These curious places are not just extraordinary sights but reflections on our relationship with the world around us. Acclaimed author and social commentator, Travis Elborough, is a marvellous travel guide to the world's most unusual corners. I have been to only two; Colma City just South of San Francisco which is home to over 1,000,000 million graves and whose moto is “It’s great to be alive!” and Aokigahara near Mt. Fuji Japan that has the 2nd highest number of suicides just behind the Golden Gate Bridge. Travis Elborough writes about a wide range of subjects with originality, learning and charm.Atlas of the Unexpected...is seductively beautiful: an inspiring, dream-inducing guideto almost four dozen “haphazard discoveries, chance places and unimaginable destinations”..."David Kynaston, New Statesman–‘best books of 2018’ Travis Elborough goes in search of the obscure and bizarre, the beautiful and estranged. From the church tower of San Juan Parangaricutiro, that miraculously stands as the sole survivor of a town sunk by lava, to the underground realms of Beijing and Berlin dug for refuge and espionage, the incredible stories of hidden lairs, forgotten cities and improbable wonders are told.

It is perhaps the eighth wonder of our world that despite modern mapping and satellite photography our planet continues to surprise us. I've never known a travel book to have so much soul in it. This is one of those books that makes you very fond of the author - even when you don't as much know the color of his hair! The book started with an Italo Calvino reference that made me squeal because I am a thorough fan. In Atlas of Improbable Places, Travis Elborough goes in search of the obscure and bizarre, the beautiful and arcane. His unique atlas shows you the modern world from surprising new vantage points. Discover the secret Soviet city of Zheleznogorsk and the church tower of San Juan Parangaricutiro, miraculously still standing as the sole survivor of a town sunk by lava. Explore the underground realms of Beijing and Berlin, dug for refuge and espionage, and the floating worlds of remote Palmerston and the macabre Island of Dolls. Atlas of Improbable Places has that rare, through-the-wardrobe quality. It is a delightful compendium of the strangest places on the planet.'Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for the digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. On the flip side, since this has very few images and very short chapters it is actually a book one can easily read through rather than dip into periodically. Once I approached it as a more shallow overview rather than something that would make me feel I really knew these places, it became a decent read. I just didn't actually anticipate this kind of book. The places I had been I felt were given too short of an introduction which makes me wonder what wasn't brought up in the other entries. Travis Elborough has been a freelance writer, author and cultural commentator for more than a decade now. His book include The Bus We Loved, a history of the Routemaster bus;The Long Player Goodbye, a hymn to vinyl records; and Wish You Were Here, a survey of the British beside the seaside. Elborough is a regular contributor to the Observer and the Guardian but has written for the Times, Sunday Times, New Statesman, the Oldie, TATE etc., BBC History magazine and Kinfolk among others and frequently appears on BBC Radio 4 and Five Live.