An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders

This book is a wonderful trip in itself throughout the world taken from your own couch.
Although I am a voracious reader, I rarely buy a new book. Libraries, yard sales, friends,
Library book sales...these can keep me in reading material for years!
However, this is the exception to the rule. My husband and I love to travel and make a point of avoiding the main
tourist attractions and seeking out the unusual spots in each area we visit. This books saves us a lot of research!
Well written, beautiful presentation, an adventure in itself.
If you are not as fortunate as I to be able to travel, buy this book, get comfy on your couch and buckle in
for the trip of your life!

For some time now, the sharing of amazing photos or stories has been received with shouts of 'PHOTO SHOP!" The world is fast being reduced to a boring, oh-hum, dismal collection of mediocrity. But wait, Atlas Obscura has been covering this monochromatic canvas with an EXPLOSION of colorful stories, and photos posted to its Internet site. And now, that same exciting content is here...for the very first time...in a book! Every page is covered in glorious pictures and eye-opening stories that fill our world with a kaleidoscope of wonder once again. BRAVO!

A book full of magic and mystery. It's a beautiful heavy book, full of intriguing and wonderful places that one could only imagine before. I rarely seem to buy new books anymore, but I had this preordered from the moment it was announced. And it arrived today, better than I ever thought it would be (and I had high expectations). Seriously, if you buy one book this year, make it this one. It is AWESOME.

So far - excellent! Nicely constructed and jacketed; doesn't look cheap. A great waiting room/bathroom/coffee table/nightstand book- it can easily be read in small chunks and is enjoyable every time. Nice to know that there are still many places to discover in this ever-shrinking world of ours.

With this book by my side, I'm confident I will not have the urge to futz around with my phone whenever I have a few minutes of free time. Instead I'll read a few entries and explore the world. Before bed, a few pages of Atlas Obscura leads to seriously interesting dreams.

As a world traveler, I was thrilled when this arrived as I was so looking forward to exploring new places to visit. But on the first page I turned to, Arizona, p. 297, I found a typo. Antelope Canyon is a "slot" Canyon, not a "slow" Canyon. The phrase also may read better with the word "only" in there, too, as in " ... can only be visited ... ." Nevertheless, I still look forward to the discoveries the authors include, as well as a paperback version to travel with, and the above correction.

A book full of magic and mystery. It's a beautiful heavy book, full of intriguing and wonderful places that one could only imagine before. I rarely seem to buy new books anymore, but I had this preordered from the moment it was announced. And it arrived today, better than I ever thought it would be (and I had high expectations). Seriously, if you buy one book this year, make it this one. It is AWESOME.

My husband saw this book on a TV spot and wanted it, so I purchased it as a birthday gift for him. He does NOT read books (he prefers news, etc.), but has read this book more than I have seen him read any book. He absolutely loves it - it has great blurbs about strange places to visit all over the world.

So far - excellent! Nicely constructed and jacketed; doesn't look cheap. A great waiting room/bathroom/coffee table/nightstand book- it can easily be read in small chunks and is enjoyable every time. Nice to know that there are still many places to discover in this ever-shrinking world of ours.

With this book by my side, I'm confident I will not have the urge to futz around with my phone whenever I have a few minutes of free time. Instead I'll read a few entries and explore the world. Before bed, a few pages of Atlas Obscura leads to seriously interesting dreams.

As a world traveler, I was thrilled when this arrived as I was so looking forward to exploring new places to visit. But on the first page I turned to, Arizona, p. 297, I found a typo. Antelope Canyon is a "slot" Canyon, not a "slow" Canyon. The phrase also may read better with the word "only" in there, too, as in " ... can only be visited ... ." Nevertheless, I still look forward to the discoveries the authors include, as well as a paperback version to travel with, and the above correction.

The narratives are as wonderful as those I'm used to seeing from Atlas Obscura but the quality of the images is poor--for that reason it's 3 stars. Bought his as a gift for my 13 year old son who cannot wait to explore the world.

This is a gorgeous book, beautiful dust cover, huge and yummy with information, pictures and fantastic destinations. This can be a ready-made bucket list! I love their web site and this is even easier to lose. Thank goodness there are people who love odd things as much as I do. Thanks Josh Foer, Dylan Thuras and Ella Morton!

Almost 25% of this book is devoted to the USA. I wanted more of an outgoing guide to the world. But I guess it's out of New York, so America dominates their world view. There's a whopping two pages on South Africa, for instance, and 100 pages of USA, broken into States. So it's not a guide to the world really, more a guide to the USA with a few tiny tidbits of other places on the planet. What else is new.

I think this could best be described as a Ripley's Believe it or Not travel guide for adults. It's a random assortment of places around the world that are not quite normal. A few are natural, but most are man made. It is organized by regions of the world, and then by country and state/commonwealth/territory. Entries comprise of one to five paragraphs on the location and it's history. A postscript in bold gives directions on how to get there (and if that is legal/advisable or not) and latitude and longitude.

Yes, I know. This isn't the kind of book one is supposed to sit down and read straight through, but I did. I had planned to just skim through, but there were enough intriguing entries I found myself reading it all. Some of the entries are fascinating and make me want to visit - such as the amusement park in an abandoned salt mine in Romania. Some of these are fascinating, and I'm perfectly fine never seeing them in person - like the grass bridge in Peru. Others I could have lived happily without ever knowing about - suffice it to say there are some really weird museums out there. Overall, if you're looking for a coffee table book to help start conversations or looking for unusual tourist destinations, this is your book. If you're just interested in flipping through it, I would borrow a copy from the library instead of purchasing it.

Notes on content: Maybe one or two minor swear words in quotes. Some of the locations do involve a sexual element (there are a couple erotic art collections in Europe mentioned and a museum devoted to certain male body parts there too, a graveyard in the Middle East that has some ancient tomb stones that represent male/female, a brothel in the US that was turned into a museum, and a museum about a psychiatrist with weird ideas that were sexually-based). A strong stomach is required for some entries. Several describe ancient grave sites where bodies are now visible, mummified remains (pictures of several included), bones (pictures of several included), and more than a few anatomical museums or sites of disasters.

The weakness I've encountered with this book is insufficient detail as to the specific locations of the places mentioned. It would be nice to have cross streets or longitude and latitude coordinates mentioned so the actual physical site can be located. If phone numbers are available they seem to be lacking. This book is possibly adequate if no attempt is made to visit the sites.

Weird book detailing weird, obscure, infamous places that should remain in obscurity. Bought it for my 13 year old son who is very interested in geography but I couldn't let him read most of the content of this book. It went out with our recycling trash.

First off, a confession. I didn't read the whole book. Normally I'd hold off on a review, but due to the unique structure of this book I feel comfortable giving my review without completing it.

Atlas Obscura is a guide to the stranger things in the world. Organized geographically, it traces historical artifacts, quirky art, and cultural remains. The goal is to expose a side of the world that is normally invisible to both tourists and locals alike. The resulting book is a bit of a geographic Wunderkammer.

As a reader, I found myself struggling often with this book. The writing is engaging and easy to follow, but for every fascinating entry that makes me want to learn more, there are a handful of entries that could not be less interesting. I realize that this is inevitable with a book fo this sort - everyone is fascinated by different things. But because the book is organized by the geographical location of entries rather than their content, it's hard to easily navigate to those items which are of greatest interest. For a reader attempting a cover-to-cover read, the effect is that you trudge through a lot of dull material to get to the good stuff. Perhaps more concerning, the accuracy of some entries is questionable. While some claims are presented with adequate skepticism (e.g., a rock which is supposedly home to fairies), other items are presented as wholesale truths despite considerable external discussion about their veracity (e.g., necropants).

I feel that ultimately this would make for a good coffee table book - something to pick up, flip to a random page, and start a conversation with. It's definitely not well suited for a "normal" read, nor as a travel atlas or an unusual encyclopedia. I've spent a fair amount of time on the Atlas Obscura website, and have greatly enjoyed appearances on podcasts and youtube channels, but the book just doesn't capture my curiosity in the same way.

Joshua Foer had written Moonwalking with Einstein in 2012 recounting a yearlong quest to improve his memory under the tutelage of top "mental athletes," which was very well received, but most importantly he reminds me, ‘we are the sum of our memories' which is so interesting.Reading this has changed my perspective and links into my belief your individual heaven is created by your experiences. A great book.

I have been a fan of Atlas Obscura for a long time. A lot of people want to travel to or be aware of the most obscure and wonderful places on the planet. There are still many discoveries to be had for people who are willing to go the extra mile. It is always fascinating to learn things that you probably will not have learned from teachers, travel documentaries, or friends. Most people choose to go to places that are easy. (I'm the same way). However, for those who want to truly take things to the next level and discover a little bit more about what is going on in the world and discover the unexpected, this is truly the book for you. If you are looking for a book for someone who is smart and would love to hear about unusual and wonderful places, this is it.

This book was compared to Ripley's Believe It or Not in another review and that is appropriate. Ripley created many books and cartoon strips and schlocky museums with quirky but forgetful topics. The Atlas Obscura book has painted baseballs, bicycles in trees, and other oddities that are briefly interesting but really pointless.

Some pretty pictures but there is not enough text to really understand some listings.

I wanted to love this book. I bought it after exposure to it via a podcast I listen to and admire. I bought it hardcover hoping it would spark an interest from my kids.

Maybe it will. I loved Ripley's books- when I was 9.

Really well-done book, but absolutely not for children. the store description says 8 and up for reading level, but unless you want your 8 year old to see phallic symbols, statues (and descriptions) depicting beastiality and other sexual references, and numerous grotesque photos of actual corpses, you might want to skip this one. For older teens and up, I think it would be fine. We love geography and learning about unique and interesting places, so I thought this could be a book that I could share with my 8 year old, but sadly, no. But like I said, it's really unique and interesting and I would still recommend it for adults interested in travel and geography!

I'm sorry to have to say this but this book is beyond boring. Look, I get the Atlas Obscura e-mail newsletter. I am a total fan of the Web site. I love clicking on the links daily to learn about all these curious spots on the globe. I am a cartographer as well so all this is right up my Mercator projection. The problem with it in book form is many fold. Unlike online where there are images to every story, there are not in this book. Unlike online where there's a fun randomness to the selections and it reads more like a magazine, the book is organized by country and region. Why? There's no reason to do it that way. It's just so poorly thought out as a format. Why not do it by some sort of theme like "Weird churches" or "Strange bodies of water." Why did they do it by nation?

I don't know, but I was so disappointed by how mind-numbingly dull much of this text read and how it all sounded the same. It's so unlike the fresh and unique way Atlas Obscura is online. I'd suggest the staff at AO go look at how Mental Floss do their books. Those are as fun to read as the articles on their web site.

Have suitcase, will travel. That's very nearly my family motto. This really is a perfect gift for everyone with enough wanderlust to go see what's on the other side of the hill. If you know someone who fills up their passport very regularly. I was surprised by things in some counties I knew well. I was also surprised by a few countries I really had not considered much before. Who knew the Saraha had monuments to see? Atlas Obsura is the book your favorite Arm Chair traveler will keep near by to read. It's going to inspire your wanderlust friends to visit new places too.

Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonder by Joshua Foer, Ella Morton and Dylan Thuras was received direct from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I have traveled the world, several times, and only wish I had a hard copy of this book to take with me when I was traveling. If you travel, want to travel or are just interested in off beat places around the world, this is a good book to have.

I've been a follower of Atlas Obscura on Twitter for some time, attracted by the off-beat focus on places out of the ordinary. This book is a pleasure in that it holds the whole evolving project "steady" at a particular moment in time.

Basically, the book systematically travels through the world and highlights unusual or strange sights, with lots of illustrations/photos and a good layout.

In terms of Ireland, the research was top class as I was not aware of two of the places (Leviathan telescope and Indian sculpture garden), and it's not as if I don't take an interest in what's going on.

The plethora of entries means there is never a need to be bored and, sometimes, there is a roundup of instances of some oddity. An example is the Republic of Kugelmugel in Vienna being the launchpad for a description of other micro nations.

The only fault I could find was an over-attraction to the long-dead and their remains, but for zombie fans and followers of saints, that might be a bonus.

Atlas Obscura is the perfect book for your bedside table: ready to be picked up, opened at random, and enjoyed for a while. The only problem is that the hundreds of short articles about out of the way places in the world make addictive reading, so it's possible to lose precious sleep time while rambling from Tromelin Island to the Bad Lands Guardian to the Great Blue Hole.

The sites and stories in Atlas Obscura are all chosen from many more which are to be found at the website of the same name. It's a lovely thick (and rather heavy) book which contains stories of natural and man made wonders, curious anomalies, and perplexing puzzles across the surface of our planet. In a bow to tradition, Atlas Obscura is laid out in a manner similar to other atlases, beginning with Europe and moving on to Asia, Africa, Oceania, the Americas, and finally Antarctica. Besides the main articles there are also some beguiling additional discussions on various flora and fauna as well as some human eccentricities.

Bright and curious children will adore Atlas Obscura, as will adults who have not lost their senses of adventure and wonder.

Atlas Obscura is one of my favorite websites. I also subscribe to their email newsletters and they regularly fill my in box with a few quirky stories that show just how interesting our world is.

When I discovered they were doing a book, I was over the moon.

I was not disappointed.

Atlas Obscura takes you around the world - and even to your own backyard - to show you all the weird, eerie, quirky, and just plain odd things that exist in our world. From poison gardens to off beat museums - each place they feature has a story that will intrigue you, fascinate you, and make you want to pack your bags.

The book is simply jam packed with pictures and stories - each more fascinating than the last. You can read them one after another or search for particular places or people that interest you.

If you are familiar with their website and emails, just multiply that goodness by about a 1,000 and you've got this book. And if you don't get their emails, what are you waiting for?

Absolutely stellar compendium of the weird and wonderful things in our world!

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

This is an excellent, travel book, coffee table book, book of miscellany and a book of bizarre tales all in one. But this thick (451 pages) and heavy book is worth the US$35.00 price. Each segment is preceded by a clear map. The subjects are then arranged according to country. Every page is adorned with fascinating photographs of the subjects.

Some of the most beautiful natural subjects include the Root Bridges of Cherrapunji, the Crooked Forest of West Pomerania, the Lion Rock in Sri Lanka, the Black Fall in Iceland, Mount Roraima in Bolivia, and the Giants’ Causeway in Ireland. There are fascinating man-made structures such as the Maunsell Army Sea Forts, St George’s Monastary, and the 88-foot well at Quinta del Regaliera.
Some places perhaps need to be seen to be believed. This book has many such places – Karni Mata Rat Temple is one. It is described as ‘a temple crawling with thousands of holy rats’. The Paper House in Rockport even has furniture made of rolled-up newspapers.
This book promises much and delivers them. The reader will spend a great many hours over it, and still not be tired.

I had followed the Atlas Obscura website for awhile and enjoyed it. I was excited to see a book version come out. The actual physical book has an impressive feel. It feels substantial and well made. The die cut and foil stamping on the dust jacket is cool. To disprove the old adage of judging books by their covers, that's all a hint to what's contained within. It's a book version of the neat stuff that's regularly published online. It's a directory sampling of several obscure and oddball (natural and manmade) destinations across the globe. You'll want to buy a plane ticket to see all of it for yourself.

Extremely disappointed that the only item listed in Wyoming is the Phindeli at Buford. There are SO MANY interesting historical and natural sites to visit. This post makes me suspicious that you get into Atlas Obscura by purchasing the notation in the book.

Atlas Obscura was founded in 2009 and began as a website that brought you a guide to the world’s wondrous and weird places. It is a collaborative project with founders Joshua Foer and Dylan Thuras, along with their community of explorers who help discover hidden spots to share with the world. They wanted to celebrate a different way of looking at the world, so whether you are looking miniature cities, books bound in human skin, or bone churches, Atlas Obsura is where to find them.

Now you can travel across the globe, discovering hidden gems right from your comfy spot on the couch with their best-selling book, Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders. Authors Joshua Foer, Dylan Thuras, and Ella Morton set out to create a catalog of all the places, people, and things that inspire wonder. It celebrates more than 600 of the strangest and most curious places in the world. Included are hundreds of photographs, charts, and maps for every region of the world, and compelling descriptions on each place. If weird travel destinations intrigue you, this book is a must to pick up.

You’ll be occupied for hours, discovering Fingal’s Cave in Scotland, a sea cave with walls perfectly hexagonal columns, or the Tree Cathedral in Italy, a piece of living architecture that continues to grow. There are also morbid findings, like did you know that the Overtoun Bridge, located in Dumbarton, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, is known as the dog suicide bridge? Since the 1960s, around 50 dogs have perished after leaping to their deaths from the same spot on the bridge.

This book is so rich with information, research, and photographs. It brings new locations, objects, and monuments to light in a unique way with showcasing the strange and outstanding corners of the world that will bring out numerous emotions from disbelief to wonder. It is an entertaining travel book that makes me want to reach out of my comfort zone and begin exploring the world, but it is also filled with history on places and people that I would have not otherwise learned, which makes it all the more captivating.

It opened my eyes to parts of the world I had never seen, and quite honestly did not know existed. I spent hours engrossed in the pages, reading the facts and viewing the charts and maps that were included throughout. It brought on discussions on just how fascinating the world is, and how people should take the time to appreciate the natural wonders. I adore this book, and I can only hope that the authors publish a second book with new findings in the future.

Hefty book with clean design. The design theme is modern and easy to read. There are some great illustrations and pictures to accompany the text. The passages, however, are somewhat thin and curt. This is something to thumb through, then search the web for more robust information.

I have been to several of the places covered here, and when I see what they have written is not accurate, it really makes me question how accurate their work is.

For example, they talk about having a great view of K2 (second largest mountain in the world) from the Karakoram Highway. Totally inaccurate. You do have sensational views of Rakaposhi and Nanga Parbat but not K2. I have gone down the KKH and then later trekked to K2 base camp. They are far away. Many obstructions between them.

Another example, they talk about Electrum, an art installation at Gibbs Farm. I have been to Gibbs Farm twice (most recently last Thursday) and have never seen it. Why? Because it is in the totally private part of Gibbs Farm, not the public-only-once-a-month part. So why even mention it? Are they inciting people to invade the private part?

Ella Morton (English accent from the Commonwealth, born in New Zeeland) at Wisconsin Book Festival. Her most popular interview was a chat with Cookie Monster on the set of Sesame Street.

Started as a Web site 2009.

There are Obscura societies throughout the U.S.

I already own the book, believe it or not bought in on the clearance shelf of a secondhand book store before it became famous.

I watched the BookTV on S-SPAN2 which helped bring the book to life. Everything could not be selected for view but what was viewed has more information than the book contained.

This is a selection of over 700 of the strangest and most curious places in the world.

Authors are not only looking at volume 2. They are looking a new books with more focus on subject or area.

This is a wonderful compendium of information that you probably won't need for daily living - but that you will be better off for knowing. It's a fun excursion through bite-size information about things you've never thought about.

I love Atlas Obscura updates that come on my phone. The information in this book is just as interesting however the book it is an awkward size for me to read. I love the content but the weight of the book and the size of the book ...not so much . Remind me of many college textbooks in size and weight.

I have mixed feelings! Visually, it disappoints. There are quite a few photographs that would be stunning had they used quality paper with a good resolution. The writing it bland and there's too much coverage on the USA. On the other hand, I did find some of the places covered to be interesting and new to me. I bought it as gift but decided to keep it as it wasnt what I expected. The layout also seemed choppy and disorganized.

Not impressed. The recommended sites were too obscure. Probably good only for persons who travel frequently and interested in doing something different. If you only plan on going someplace only one time and want the flavor that you have seen or heard about, stick with normal recommended sites.

I love it! I received this as a gift from a dear friend who knows my reading tastes very well. He definitely aced in the gift-giving arena with this one.

This book is wonderful for a genuinely curious person. There are color drawings, color photos, and line drawings throughout, plus small groupings of "while you're in the area, go check out.." sorts of comments at the end of each geographic section. The book is divided by geography, with lists of countries grouped by region, and those regions grouped by larger global regions. For example, France is listed in Western Europe, which is grouped into EUROPE. Maps are scattered throughout, labeled with the names of the locations discussed in the following several pages.

I looked in several sections to see if they included the interesting areas I'd visited in my travels - some were listed in the book, along with other places that I had never even known about when I was in that country. (This means I need to go back to see these attractions in person!) Over the past few years, I've enjoyed bouncing into and out of Atlas Obscura's website to read interesting things now and then, but having the book in hand is much more enjoyable for me.

My only quibble (and it is a small one) is that the font is a bit too tiny for me to read comfortably for a long time. But that is a reflection of my age rather than of the book itself! I've been recommending this book to everyone. It's great for someone who wants to wander through random pages for hours at a time, or for someone who likes to ingest their reading in little bites.

This was supposed to be a Christmas Gift, and it was delivered as ordered, BUT, it was in a clear covering, so my receiver actually saw the gift before Christmas. I thought this was not a good plan for shipping anything at this time of year. It was frustrating to spoil the surprise.

Early on the authors say exactly what the book is: "Our goal was to create a catalog of all the places, people and things that inspire our sense of wonder." The book stems from an internet site, and "The site, and this book, are a kind of wunderkammer of places, a cabinet of curiosities that is meant to inspire wonderlust as much as wanderlust." I have not yet viewed the site, but the book certainly achieves the goal.

The book is organized by continent and region, with entries sited in a large portion of the world's countries. The entries are a mix of particular places such as museums, and events, such as unusual annual festivals. Main entries have a photo, the geographical coordinates and a description. Areas may have several entries (say, Austria with several entries) and ends with a list of several more not much detailed. Entries may have comments about the place, such as how to informally access a site, or the advisability of armed escorts. A few sections are expanded in a way, noting similar places elsewhere.

There's way way too much in the book to describe in a brief review, so here are some of my favorites (I tend to like museums). In England, there's a nifty poison garden, and then there's the 600 year old clock at Salisbury Cathedral. Vienna has the Esperanto Museum and the Globe Museum, the only museum focused on globes in the world. Paris has the Musee Frangonard, featuring an entirely eerie skinless horseman of the apocalypse, the horse also is skinless. Amsterdam has the Electric Ladyland Museum of Florescent Art. Prague has a very cool Museum of Miniatures--I mean, animals painted on the leg of a mosquito??

China has a Dwarf Empire comprised of short people in various formal entertainments, ethically challenged yet intriguing. Laos has the Plain of Jars, fascinating but dangerous because of unexploded ordnance left over from American bombing in the Vietnam era. Kenya has the Kitum Cave, excavated by elephants seeking salt. Livermore (California) has the longest lasting light bulb, burning in fire station 6 since 1976 but originally turned on in 1901(it must have been turned off to get from its original site to the fire station). Then there's the Canadian Potato Museum (on Prince Edward Island), and the Museum of Clean in Pocatello, Idaho.

There's vastly more. Museums. Miniature villages and towns created by obsessed but creative individuals. Similar to that are literal castles made by other individuals, a combination of obsessive, possibly crazy and entirely interesting.

As a long-time fan of the Atlas Obscura website, it's hard to conceive how things could get any better. With the release of this, the company's first book, things are somehow made better. With countless entries not featured on the site and dozens more with new and expanded information, this guide to the world's most wondrous sites and most intriguing factoids will provide for endless hours of wanderlust and trip planning as it gives you all the information you need to become the most interesting person at your next dinner party.

The Atlas Obscura is filled with wonderful stories about real places and things. I am about 1/3 through the book and love every bit of it. Much to my surprise I have been to at least two of the sights that I have read about so far. The only mistake with the book is the one that I made. I am reading the Kindle version and this book does not work well at all on the Kindle. You lose the ability to open up the book randomly or skip around, which is frustrating and sometimes tedious. Also, the illustrations, photos, and layout are much better in the book version. Do yourself a favor and buy or borrow the book. I almost gave this book 4 stars because the Kindle version is so unwieldy, but I realize that would be unfair as this sort of material is really only meant to be read in a book

What a disappoint! There are so many interesting things to see everywhere and this guide choose boring ones. (i.e.) I don't want to know about castles in Scotland. I want to know about the underground world of the cities.

“I dream of a new age of curiosity.” – Michel Foucault

Many, many, years ago, I would spend hours paging through my World Book Encyclopedia stopping on articles that interested me; Atlas Obscura reminds me of those times.

The Atlas is divided into areas of the world and then again into countries and cities. Beautiful photographs and a short post make reading pages fun and interesting. At the bottom of each entry are directions and phone numbers that tell you how to get there and what time of year to visit.

I love this book and would recommend buying for students of all ages. Inside are wonders found in very few other books.