A rather dull cover hides a rich and continually surprising tour of the World’s islands. There is for British readers, our own island, there are the islands we know, islands in rivers, lakes and sea, There are islands of fable and most delightfully islands that come and go over the centuries, islands of spice and fortress, prison and escape. Islands have been stepping stones in history, allowing human beings to travel the world, they have provided refuge and riches, and they can be havens for wildlife, the cause of shipwreck and danger. It is a subject without end, caught for a brief moment by the author who teases us with intriguing glimpses of this vast history.
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| Primary Genre | Biographies & Autobiographies |
| Recommendations: |
Ever since the dawn of human history, islands have been at the heart of our desires - and our fears. Drawing on anthropology, literature, biology, art, philosophy and earth science, Island tells the groundbreaking story of humans and islands throughout history, and celebrates islands as a central part of the world we live in. With a unique cross-disciplinary approach, encompassing everything from the wonder of an island's flora and fauna, to the geological roots of island formations, via references to popular culture, poetry and literature (including Prospero, Gulliver, Robinson Crusoe and the Count of Monte Cristo), Chamberlin tells the vivid and absorbing story of how islands have shaped human history, society and culture. Island celebrates islands for all their worth, whether real or invented, literal or fictitious, as a central part of the human narrative. A marvellously ambitious book, Chamberlin's book provides a fascinating counterpoint to Judith Schalansky's Atlas of Remote Islands (total UK sales over 20,000 to date).
Island How Islands Transform the World features in the following genres: Biographies & Autobiographies, Non-Fiction Books of the Month, eBooks of the Month, Biography, Literature and Literary studies, Recommendations
Island How Islands Transform the World is available in Hardback
Island How Islands Transform the World was written by J. Edward Chamberlin and published by Elliott & Thompson Limited
£13.49
