The truths and myths behind these hidden lairs, forgotten cities and improbable wonders are as varied as the destinations themselves. These curious places are not just extraordinary sights but reflections on our relationship with the world around us. The RRP is the suggested or Recommended Retail Price of a product, set by the publisher or manufacturer.

As I read this book, I was googling the locations and interesting many would appear as the first possible match after only 2 or 3 letters. I have been to only two; Colma City just South of San Francisco which is home to over 1,000,000 million graves and whose moto is “It’s great to be alive!” and Aokigahara near Mt. Fuji Japan that has the 2nd highest number of suicides just behind the Golden Gate Bridge.

The truths and myths behind these hidden lairs, forgotten cities and improbable wonders are as varied as the destinations themselves. These curious places are not just extraordinary sights but reflections on our relationship with the world around us. Acclaimed author and social commentator, Travis Elborough, is a marvellous travel guide to the world's most unusual corners. Like most people, I love travelling, and that hasn't been possible since the pandemic hit. This book was a great way to travel around the world without leaving the house. In a time when exploring the world is something to look forward to but due to pandemic restrictions not easily doable, travel books are a great way to discover new places and stir up anticipation for the time after. Travis Elborough has found places which are not on the average agenda for a trip. In the subtitle, he calls them “the world’s most unusual corners” and I couldn’t agree more with that.

And Subterranean Realms - I did not know there was an underground railway in London dedicated to mail delivery. It is perhaps the eighth wonder of our world that despite modern mapping and satellite photography our planet continues to surprise us. Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for the digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. Deserted Destinations - deliberately, as in Wittenoom in WA, abandoned due to asbestos; or because people just… drifted away; I would still recommend this to readers who want to know about some of the more "improbable" or unusual places in the world, especially readers who want to simply have a list of places that they can then research on their own.Atlas of Improbable Places shows the modern world from surprising new vantage points that will inspire urban explorers and armchair travellers alike to consider a new way of understanding the world we live in. Travis Elborough goes in search of the obscure and bizarre, the beautiful and estranged. From the church tower of San Juan Parangaricutiro, that miraculously stands as the sole survivor of a town sunk by lava, to the underground realms of Beijing and Berlin dug for refuge and espionage, the incredible stories of hidden lairs, forgotten cities and improbable wonders are told.