Luxist Giveaway: Atlas of Remote Islands Book

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Jan 11th 2011 at 10:02AM

Many of the books that are offered to Luxist for giveaway are big lavish coffee table books with rich photography. We love those but there's also a lot to love about today's more modest tome too. Atlas of Remote Islands by Judith Schalansky (Penguin Books) is magic in its own way, a fascinating compendium of 50 remote islands far from the mainland, from people, from airports and from the public eye. Schalansky gives each of these little treasures individual attention on a single page with an accompanying map. The result is a cross between a history lesson and a short story, full of spare poetry and fascinating historical details.

Some of the islands from Pitcairn Island (the place the Mutiny on the Bounty settlers chose to inhabit) to Easter Island are familiar, others, like Russia's Lonely Island or Mexico's Socorro Island are less known but no less worthy of exploration.

Schalansky's opening chapter is titled "Paradise Is An Island, So Is Hell" and the islands that the book covers range from tropical atolls to frozen, rocky spits of land. The author is a writer and designer who lives in Berlin and lectures on the fundamentals of typography. She not only wrote the text but designed and typeset the book, an act perhaps as solitary as a life lived on a remote island.

We are giving away one copy of this book. The book sells for $28 and we are giving away one copy to a reader chosen at random.

* To enter, leave a confirmed comment below.
* The comment must be left and confirmed before January 18, 2011 at 5:00PM Eastern Time.
* You may only enter once.
* One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
* One winner will receive a copy of Atlas of Remote Islands by Judith Schalansky, which has a retail price of $28.
* Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia.

See complete giveaway rules here.

This contest is now closed. Thank you for your participation.

Tags: atlas of remote islands, islands, luxist giveaway, private islands, travel, travel books

Filed under: Books

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Reader Comments (Page 3 of 5)

taso pardalis Jan 11th 2011 6:45PM

Just came back from a remote island off the coast of belize. Will def use this book if i get it. Will even write a story about it for you guys as a follow up

MML Jan 11th 2011 7:07PM

It's a beautiful book.

Eric Jan 17th 2011 11:27PM

My brother is sailing from the west coast to Hawaii and beyond...this is THE perfect bon voyage gift for him! Cheers!

Terry Jan 11th 2011 7:17PM

This would be a great book for me to learn how to read!!

CJ Jan 11th 2011 7:44PM

Sounds like a cool thing to have!

deejuic Jan 11th 2011 8:43PM

A book on islands? I'm in! I hope I win.

Z�non LUO Jan 11th 2011 8:52PM

Want to wake up one day on one of the islands.

sumitpattanaik Jan 11th 2011 10:30PM

I want one please!

Hoolrah Jan 11th 2011 11:48PM

Some coffee table escapism in this weather is just what I need- I'd love to get this!

Cyndy Jan 12th 2011 12:03AM

Thanks for the reminder, I've been wanting to read this book.

doctoza Jan 12th 2011 1:12AM

Sounds like a great book. I hope I win :)

Joo Jan 12th 2011 1:13AM

Me!! ME!!!

Toshiko Jan 12th 2011 9:07AM

I love traveling internationally to the oddest places most people have never heard of. This book sounds like a must-have!~

jason Jan 12th 2011 9:10AM

I'd love it!

Common Sense Jan 12th 2011 12:37PM

What a groundbreaking offer! As a cartographer and surveyor thank you for raising the bar on this book. Beyond there be dragons.

Andrew D Jan 12th 2011 11:13PM

This book has all of the elements of being perfect for my armchair travels.

jveverett Jan 12th 2011 2:36PM

no man is an island, entire of itself
every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main
if a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were,
as well as if a manor of thy friends or of thine own were
any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind
and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls
it tolls for thee.