"Because of their size and boundedness, islands tell tales about what's happening to our world more clearly than continental lands ever could. One of those tales is about the inexorable rise of sea levels and the disappearance of land, which is plainly visible on islands. But surprisingly, islands also continue to come into being regularly, some created through natural forces such as volcanism or melting ice, others through human desires for political and economic expansion, military defenses, or simply new tourist havens. Often the human-made islands are being built heedless of rising waters-just a few feet above current sea level-and are themselves contributing to the destruction of the environment. As in his previous books about the world's unusual places, Alastair Bonnett here features stories of his visits to a number of islands or island groups, ranging from the South Pacific to Panama, with stops in Dubai and northern Europe. Along the way, he discusses the many ways islands rise and fall, the long and little-known history of human island building, and the prospect that the hills and valleys of today's continental lands-as on North America's eastern seaboard-will one day be a series of archipelagos"--
There are millions of islands on our planet. New islands are being built at an unprecedented rate, for tourism and territorial ambition. Many are also disappearing, besieged by rising sea levels. The story of our world&;s islands is one of the great dramas of our time, and it is playing out around the planet&;islands are sprouting or being submerged everywhere from the South China Sea to the Atlantic. Elsewhere is the story of this strange and mesmerizing planetary spectacle.
In this book, explorer and geographer Alastair Bonnett takes us on a thought-provoking tour of the world&;s most fascinating islands. He traveled the globe to provide a firsthand look at numerous islands, sketching a vivid likeness of each one he visited. From a &;crannog,&; an ancient artificial island in a Scottish loch, to the militarized artificial islands China is building; from the disappearing islands that remain the home of native Central Americans to the ritzy new islands of Dubai; from Hong Kong to the Isles of Scilly&;all have compelling stories to tell. As we journey around the world with Bonnett, he addresses urgent contemporary issues such as climate change, economic inequality and the changing balance of world power as reflected in the fates of islands. Along the way, we also learn about the many ways islands rise and fall, the long and little-known history of human island building and the prospect that the inland hills and valleys will one day be archipelagos.
Featuring Bonnett&;s charming hand-drawn maps and 33 full-color photos, Elsewhere is a captivating travel book for any armchair adventurer.
