Ghost Towns

by Chris McNab

Gold rush towns abandoned when new boomtowns emerge elsewhere or the gold has run out, towns deserted when caught in war zones, settlements evacuated due to natural disasters or chemical spills – seeing a town with devoid of people is an uncanny feeling. Where has everyone gone? And why aren’t they coming back? From Pripyat in Ukraine to Bodie in California to English villages requisitioned by the Ministry of Defence during World War II, from Greek leper colonies to deserted Italian mountain villages, Ghost Towns is a brilliant pictorial work examining lost worlds. With reasons ranging from the collapse of local industry to being pushed aside to make way for a new industry, from earthquakes and volcanoes to man-made chemical spills, from war zones to demilitarised zones, the book explores a wide range of desolate urban environments from around the globe. And with these places left to nature, we can see not only how nature reclaims the land, but also gain a glimpse into the past free from humankind’s modernising hands. With 150 striking colour photographs exploring 100 worlds, Ghost Towns is a fascinating visual history of the mysteries of lost worlds.

Genres: Nonfiction, Photography

224 pages, Hardcover

First published April 5, 2018

About the author

Dr Chris McNab has written over a hundred books in a career spanning over two decades. He is a historian with a specialisation in military history.

Reviews

[Samu · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read a lot of really fascinating books on abandoned towns but this just wasn't one of them. I'm more into the social history of these places and this is mostly a photo collage with one or two sentences of background provided on each location. Some of the photos are incredible though.

[Kim Gebby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Immer wieder schön dieses Buch zu lesen.
Die verschiedenen Eindrücke der Bilder und Landschaften, mit den Geschichten, wodurch die Orte verlassen wurden, ist wirklich jedes mal aufs neue interessant.

[Packleader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sorted by region the photographs are stunning with informative descriptions.
Recommended for everyone who loves abandoned places.