Readers Digest – Atlas of remote islands (2009 by Judith Schalansky, published by mare)

Do you like travelling and adventures? Judith Schalansky hijacks you in her book Atlas of remote islands to the end of the world. She takes you with her and let you dive into strange and abstruse stories.

This book is a “must-have”, at least for all those, which loves adventures and travelling. Even if it is only with the finger on the map.

Judith Schalansky, born 1980 in the former East Germany, in Greifswald, takes the reader with her on a journey around the world. She let him dive into strange and abstruse stories. The author became fascinated by the world’s most isolated places and described 50 islands, which have one thing in common: they are away from airports, travelcataloges, many miles from continents. Their names already sounds like adventure. Tristan da Cunha, Süd-Thule, Napuka, Rapa Iti.

Judith Schalansky was a mapdreamer in her childhood, unable to travel far because of state restricitions, she became “a child of the atlas”. Travelling through the pages by finger, conquering distand worlds. In her imaginary voyages of the Atlas, she tells scenes from the islands past. Few of these stories are paradisal. She writes of cannibalism, rape and human-rights abuses, of atom bomb tests and ecological catastrophes. Many of the islander were prisoners, castaways, natives or colonialists which stranded far from civilisation.

Always keeping in mind that Judith Schalansky never really visited those territories. But explored them remotely through document and image.

The Atlas received some prizes and Awards:

* 1. prize of The German Arts Foundation, rewarding the “most beautiful book oft the year” in 2009

* red dot award winner: communication design in 2011

* silver award of design-prize of the German federal republic in the category of communications design in 2010

* at 9. ITB (International Tourist Fair Berlin); Book Award in 2010 in the category of the best travellers book.

your Guide Astrid Haas