Atlas of Forgotten Places: Journey to Abandoned Destinations from Around the Globe (Unexpected Atlases)

Many people have a fascination with abandoned places: ghost towns, deserted castles, forsaken lighthouses, falling-down forgotten cabins in the woods, and the like. If you are interested in such places, this book will suit you well. The author, Travis Elborough, has chosen forty sites around the world (North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia) that meet the criteria.

Some are individual buildings, some are compounds, and some are whole towns. These sites came to their present conditions in several ways, including changing needs, moving populations, and natural or man-made disasters. Elborough has broken these into five sections: Vacant Properties, Unsettled Situations, Dilapidated Destinations, Journeys Ended, and Obsolete Institutions.

Each write-up is four to six pages long and contains GPS coordinates, one or more photographs of the subject, and a map of the site. The write-ups are written in very conversational language and contain excellent descriptions of the places as well as a fairly thorough history from its roots to its condition today.

The paperback edition is the perfect size to slip into one’s backpack or suitcase. It could be improved with colored and clearer photographs.