The Un-Discovered Islands: An Archipelago of Myths and Mysteries, Phantoms and Fakes (Hardcover)
In The Un-Discovered Islands, critically acclaimed author Malachy Tallack takes the reader on fascinating adventures to the mysterious and forgotten corners of the map.
Be prepared to be captivated by the astounding tales of two dozen islands once believed to be real but no longer on the map. These are the products of the imagination, deception, and human error: an archipelago of ex-islands and forgotten lands. From the well-known story of Atlantis and the mysteries of frozen Thule to more obscure tales from around the globe, and from ancient history right up to the present day, this is an atlas of legend and wonder, with glorious illustrations by Katie Scott.
Katie Scott is the illustrator of Botanicum, and of the best-selling Animalium, which was chosen as the Sunday Times Children’s Book of the Year, 2014. She studied illustration at the University of Brighton and is inspired by the elaborate paintings of Ernst Haeckel.
Praise for The Un-Discovered Islands
"An armchair traveler’s dream, a fantastical voyage to islands that never were - phantom realms, sunken kingdoms and obscure specks of rock that only ever existed as wild flights of fancy. This compelling narrative reveals mankind’s desire to conjure places into existence and then populate them with monsters, demons and gods." - Giles Milton, author of Nathaniel's Nutmeg and Churchill's Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
"[A] delightful atlas of islands, some of which no longer exist and many of which never did...Coupled with Scott's (Animalium) colorful illustrations, this book will delight arm-chair travelers and readers of Atlas Obscura." --Publisher's Weekly
"Malachy Tallack (whose name has a wonderful rhythm in itself) has assembled his compendium of imagined outcrops with almost pathological attention to detail...he engagingly uncovers liars, jokers and downright fantasists whose invented lands would embarrass even the most shameless real estate agent. Highly recommended and fascinating." - Mark Ovenden, author of Transit Maps of the World
"Intrepid intellectual fun, and Katie Scott's bold illustrations give an exotic colour to the pages."—Sunday Herald
"It's a joy to island-hop through the book. After wowing the world with Sixty Degrees North last year, Tallack's second book is shaped by the same, clear, sharp prose and keen curiosity. Packed full of intelligent musings on everything from religion to astronomy, alchemy to the occult."—National Geographic Traveler
"One of the best new travel books."—The Guardian
"This is a book to cherish and to dip in and out of when time allows."—Lovereading
Praise for Sixty Degrees North
"Malachy Tallack is the real deal."—John Burnside
"A brave book in its honesty and self-exposure."—Robert MacFarlane
"A joy to read, its prose as clear as the light on the Greenland ice-cap."—The Telegraph
"A subtle, thoughtful study of life on the sixtieth parallel."—Financial Times