Atlas of Improbable Places: A Journey to the World's Most Unusual Corners [Paperback]

‘This engrossing book traverses the heights and depths, the beauty and terror, of our world.’ - THE OBSERVER
 
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 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.
 
‘Atlas of Improbable Placeshas that rare, through-the-wardrobe quality. It is a delightful compendium of the strangest places on the planet.’- DAILY TELEGRAPH
‘Understatedly expressive.’- NEW YORK TIMES
‘Deeply researched – and really worth your time.’- GQ

 

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.DREAM CREATIONS
FLEVOPOLDER
The region reclaimed from the sea
 
ZHELEZNOGORSK
Former closed Soviet city
 
FREE lƒ’