What do you think?
Rate this book
Atlas of Untamed Places: An Extraordinary Journey Through Our Wild World
Atlas of Untamed Places is an intrepid journey through nature’s most unusual, wild, feral, and extraordinary places. From historic and protected zones to the uninhabitable and unimaginable islands, caves, and wild lands where nature roams alone.
We also travel to new wildernesses being carved out by nature such as the river bed worlds slowly rising into new lands or Chernobyl which, after being barren for years, has developed into a growing natural habitat, free from human intervention.
We also travel to new wildernesses being carved out by nature such as the river bed worlds slowly rising into new lands or Chernobyl which, after being barren for years, has developed into a growing natural habitat, free from human intervention.
208 pages, Hardcover
Published September 28, 2017
34 people are currently reading
742 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 22, 2017
I'm a sucker for books like this, which explains why I own both Atlas of Remote Islands and Atlas Obscura: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders. I love reading about remote hard-to-reach places that are full of mysteries, beauty, or dangerous poisonous gasses! So I was definitely not disappointed in this book. I like how it includes natural phenomenon to man-made disasters, and even an island with people who will not allow themselves to be studied. We know they exist, but not how many of them live on the island or what language they speak. Amazing that there could still be such remote places in the world.
Thanks to the publisher for providing access through Edelweiss.
Thanks to the publisher for providing access through Edelweiss.
March 25, 2020
Not exactly what i expected. I had hoped to have found a book describing the wonders of cartography and instead got a decent list of curious places around the world. While not a bad book i do feel like there could have been more to it. The text and the accompanying images gives an introduction to each environment but falls short on conveying any deeper understanding or immersion. But i guess thats not the book's aim either.
September 3, 2022
Abandoned ruins, strange places, and natural beauty. These are things I live for, the geography of my bucket list. Chris Fitch clearly shares that passion, with Untamed: An Atlas of Wild Places the perfect first volume in that.
A collection of global snapshots that are as fascinating as they are incredible, this is not the kind of book you sit down and devour over the course of an evening. Instead, it is something you leave sitting on that proverbial coffee table, a book to be sampled, shared, and appreciated.
The Atlas is divided into six sections - Extreme Environments, Untouched Lands, Human Activity, Weird Worlds, Isolated Realms, and Nature's Wilderness. Each features 6-8 short articles of a few pages each illustrated by photographs and (more importantly) detailed maps.
Human Activity set the bar high for abandoned ruins. Here we find details of Chernobyl that are almost unfathomable, such as the fact that the process of decomposition has ceased to operate, and walk through a town in Pennsylvania that has been burning since 1962, although it took the collapse of a 100-foot deep sinkhole to finally begin its abandonment nearly 20 years later.
In terms of strange places, Extreme Environments was easily my favorite. Where else can you find shipwrecks a few hundred yards into the desert, toxic gas spewing lakes, and a cave full of massive 36-foot crystals? As for natural beauty, it's hard to choose between Untouched Lands (which tell of a cave beneath Vietnam that is not only large enough for a jumbo jet, but which has its own weather system) and Weird Worlds (with a lake in Venezuela that receives 1.2 million lightning strikes each year).
Honestly, Untamed: An Atlas of Wild Places could be ten times as long and I would still want more, but as first volumes of a bucket list go, it's a great start.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
A collection of global snapshots that are as fascinating as they are incredible, this is not the kind of book you sit down and devour over the course of an evening. Instead, it is something you leave sitting on that proverbial coffee table, a book to be sampled, shared, and appreciated.
The Atlas is divided into six sections - Extreme Environments, Untouched Lands, Human Activity, Weird Worlds, Isolated Realms, and Nature's Wilderness. Each features 6-8 short articles of a few pages each illustrated by photographs and (more importantly) detailed maps.
Human Activity set the bar high for abandoned ruins. Here we find details of Chernobyl that are almost unfathomable, such as the fact that the process of decomposition has ceased to operate, and walk through a town in Pennsylvania that has been burning since 1962, although it took the collapse of a 100-foot deep sinkhole to finally begin its abandonment nearly 20 years later.
In terms of strange places, Extreme Environments was easily my favorite. Where else can you find shipwrecks a few hundred yards into the desert, toxic gas spewing lakes, and a cave full of massive 36-foot crystals? As for natural beauty, it's hard to choose between Untouched Lands (which tell of a cave beneath Vietnam that is not only large enough for a jumbo jet, but which has its own weather system) and Weird Worlds (with a lake in Venezuela that receives 1.2 million lightning strikes each year).
Honestly, Untamed: An Atlas of Wild Places could be ten times as long and I would still want more, but as first volumes of a bucket list go, it's a great start.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher in exchange for review consideration. This does not in any way affect the honesty or sincerity of my review.
July 16, 2025
This book serves up brief introductions to forty-five “untamed” locations around the world. Most of these places are remote, unknown and off the beaten path but several have familiar names and a few are tourist destinations. Almost all have some unusual defining quality that derives from natural phenomena: climate, weather, geological or geographical oddities and in some cases, past or present human activities. Many of these locations also harbour unique species of flora and fauna, found nowhere else on earth.
I found the book a well written and interesting read but more or less an introduction or starting point for an understanding of these unusual places. Each location is allotted only four or five pages: two pages of text (describing the locale, its unique features, history, flora and fauna and its present circumstances); a page or two of photographs; and a page with maps. For the less interesting locations, this was ample information. But for the more intriguing places, this was only enough to spark my curiosity. That said, the book definitely succeeds as an introduction to these “untamed” places. To discover more about them, readers have to search elsewhere. 3 ½ stars
I found the book a well written and interesting read but more or less an introduction or starting point for an understanding of these unusual places. Each location is allotted only four or five pages: two pages of text (describing the locale, its unique features, history, flora and fauna and its present circumstances); a page or two of photographs; and a page with maps. For the less interesting locations, this was ample information. But for the more intriguing places, this was only enough to spark my curiosity. That said, the book definitely succeeds as an introduction to these “untamed” places. To discover more about them, readers have to search elsewhere. 3 ½ stars
December 9, 2017
These are my kind of books - detailing weird, little-known, cursed, wild places in this world that aren't always explored. This is a nice exploration of some of the untamed, wild places that we can dream about visiting one day.
December 14, 2018
Ein sehr untypisches Buch für mich, da ich kaum Sachliteratur lese. Deswegen fällt es mir auch schwer, eine Rezension zu schreiben. Ich fand einen Großteil der Orte sehr interessant und habe vor allem die Bilder sehr geliebt, die Aufmachung an sich ist sehr toll.
February 7, 2018
Nice quick easy read that you can dip in and out of.
May 20, 2019
Fascinating, my favourite book of the year.
March 14, 2020
All sorts of places that I wish that I could visit (but most of which are off-limits or inaccessible).
May 14, 2022
Fascinating overview of unusual places all over the world.
May 18, 2022
Great small snippets of remote, obscure, wild parts of the world. Good bedtime book when you're short of time
June 27, 2025
Interesting collection of places. Some very well known places, some I've never heard of before. I just wish there were some color photos.
February 9, 2018
This book was so interesting! I didn’t necessarily agree with how they categorised some of the environments or regions they were talking about, but it didn’t change the fact that it was all really fascinating. For example, I had no idea that Yellow Stone National Park was part of a mega-volcano, or that the cave of crystals in Mexico was so hazardous.
Definitely worth the read. This has actually inspired me to look for similar books to purchase. Great for those who love geography or trivia.
Definitely worth the read. This has actually inspired me to look for similar books to purchase. Great for those who love geography or trivia.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews