Extraordinary Islands: An Atlas of Unlikely Places

Explore the World’s Most Extraordinary Islands: A Journey Through the Strange, Scary, Remote, and Naturally Odd

Dive in to a captivating exploration of 29 of the world’s most unique and enigmatic islands, each with its own compelling story. This visually stunning book is divided into four sections, each revealing a different facet of these extraordinary locales:

Strange Uncover islands that defy the ordinary. From Ocean Flower in China, an artificial lotus-shaped archipelago now mired in financial ruin, to Santa Cruz Del Islote, ’the world’s most crowded island’, these islands challenge the boundaries of imagination. Marvel at the Floating City in the Pacific, a visionary eco-island, and learn about Kihnu, famous for the central and visible role of its women.

Scary Venture into the eerie and unsettling. Discover Runit’s ominous concrete dome packed with nuclear waste, or the haunted island of Poveglia off the coast of Venice. Experience the chilling history of Fire Island, where Russia’s most dangerous murderers are imprisoned.

Remote Journey to the furthest corners of the Earth. Explore Socotra and its unique flora and fauna, and Inaccessible Island, surrounded by cliffs and rarely seen by human eyes. Visit Fort Jefferson, a remote and enigmatic outpost of the American landscape. Encounter North Sentinel Island, home to the world’s last uncontacted tribe.

Naturally Odd Marvel at nature’s peculiar creations. Witness René-Levasseur, a circular island formed by a meteor impact, and Ferdinandea, a volcanic island currently underwater. Discover the magical floating islands of pumice and ice, and the first discovered extraterrestrial islands.

Each chapter is a voyage into islands of wonder and mystery, offering a unique perspective on our world’s most intriguing and lesser-known corners. Whether it’s an exploration of ambitious human endeavours or natural marvels, this book is a visual and narrative feast for the curious traveller.

ALASTAIR BONNETT is Professor of Social Geography at Newcastle University. Previous books include Off the Map, What is Geography? and How to Argue. He has also contributed to history and current affairs magazines on a wide variety of topics, such as world population and radical nostalgia. Alastair was editor of the avant-garde, psychogeographical, magazine Transgressions: A Journal of Urban Exploration between 1994-2000. Alastair lives in Newcastle.