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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Some absolute gems of phrases used by the author really bring the places to life
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Build Your Library 2022: a book about a real life adventure
This book looks at four "outlandish" environments, or ecosystems that seem out of place where they are. A desert in Spain, a rainforest in Poland, a steppe in Hungary ( I thought this one was a stretch) and an Arctic environment in Scotland. I was interested in the Scotland piece, which began the book, but wasn't interested enough to continue.
This felt like four padded magazine pieces that were put together to form a book. I found the environments themselves interesting, but what the author did with them was not. In the first piece, for example, I was interested in how reindeer were reintroduced to this area of Scotland. I was puzzled, though, since reintroducing species can throw off the balance between the species (deer in this case) that have remained as all of these creatures must now compete for the same food and this was not addressed. The author also briefly mentions conifers being (re) introduced but doesn't touch on the lack of enthusiasm that many people who live in the area have for these particular trees being planted.
The author doesn't want to stick with research and history of these places, so he goes there and walks.= and writes about his jaunts. I didn't find him especially gifted at getting across what it's actually like to pass through these environments and that's a shame because it was a big part of why I wanted to read the book. If the author can't put me there, then he hasn't succeeded in his efforts. I wasn't ever sure just how much common sense he was displaying in these places as he hiked through them either.
This book looks at four "outlandish" environments, or ecosystems that seem out of place where they are. A desert in Spain, a rainforest in Poland, a steppe in Hungary ( I thought this one was a stretch) and an Arctic environment in Scotland. I was interested in the Scotland piece, which began the book, but wasn't interested enough to continue.
This felt like four padded magazine pieces that were put together to form a book. I found the environments themselves interesting, but what the author did with them was not. In the first piece, for example, I was interested in how reindeer were reintroduced to this area of Scotland. I was puzzled, though, since reintroducing species can throw off the balance between the species (deer in this case) that have remained as all of these creatures must now compete for the same food and this was not addressed. The author also briefly mentions conifers being (re) introduced but doesn't touch on the lack of enthusiasm that many people who live in the area have for these particular trees being planted.
The author doesn't want to stick with research and history of these places, so he goes there and walks.= and writes about his jaunts. I didn't find him especially gifted at getting across what it's actually like to pass through these environments and that's a shame because it was a big part of why I wanted to read the book. If the author can't put me there, then he hasn't succeeded in his efforts. I wasn't ever sure just how much common sense he was displaying in these places as he hiked through them either.
(Note: I received an advanced reader copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley)
In Outlandish, Nick Hunt details his trips taken all around Europe to a range of frankly surprisingly landscapes and environments. In every chapter, his observant, evocative writing carries readers away on a brand new journey to a surprising corner of Europe. Several new worlds are opened up, ranging from deserts hiding out in the likes of southeast England and Mediterranean Spain to steppe grassland in Hungary that would not feel out of place at all in Kazakhstan or Mongolia. And in every single unlocked location, one is able to experience a brand new cast of local characters, interesting relevant history, and of course a unique combination of flora and fauna. On top of that, as part of the comprehensive experience Hunt also takes care to quite thoughtfully note the effects of climate change and development on these special places, and the threats they continue to pose.
The several chapters that I have consumed so far have been read completely out of order, and it's been a fantastic time taking these miniature trips and learning about these varied, amazing, and very unexpected locations. For fellow travelogue fans who are potentially still dealing with pandemic anxiety and are looking to go somewhere without leaving the comfort of their favorite reading nook, why not all Nick Hunt to guide you to several different fantastically unlikely locations?
In Outlandish, Nick Hunt details his trips taken all around Europe to a range of frankly surprisingly landscapes and environments. In every chapter, his observant, evocative writing carries readers away on a brand new journey to a surprising corner of Europe. Several new worlds are opened up, ranging from deserts hiding out in the likes of southeast England and Mediterranean Spain to steppe grassland in Hungary that would not feel out of place at all in Kazakhstan or Mongolia. And in every single unlocked location, one is able to experience a brand new cast of local characters, interesting relevant history, and of course a unique combination of flora and fauna. On top of that, as part of the comprehensive experience Hunt also takes care to quite thoughtfully note the effects of climate change and development on these special places, and the threats they continue to pose.
The several chapters that I have consumed so far have been read completely out of order, and it's been a fantastic time taking these miniature trips and learning about these varied, amazing, and very unexpected locations. For fellow travelogue fans who are potentially still dealing with pandemic anxiety and are looking to go somewhere without leaving the comfort of their favorite reading nook, why not all Nick Hunt to guide you to several different fantastically unlikely locations?
The concept of the book is great and the stories Nick Hunt describes are extremely interesting, but the tend to drag with the amount of detail he provides. Even though the book was well-written, it failed to capture my interest as a result.
The subject matter is interesting, but I just can’t connect with the writer’s writing style. For whatever reason, I keep getting drowsy.
I have never seen Scotland's arctic or the ancient forests of Poland. But after joining Nick Hunt on this handpainted tour of Europe's rarest landscapes, I can imagine.
Outlandish is the sort of niche travelogue that just begs for adjectives. Words like profound, evocative, exquisite, humbling, urgent, and flowing come to mind. Not for a casual reader, Outlandish is what you'd get if you crossed ecotourism with literature with a capital L.
Traveling to these endangered environments was clearly an emotional experience for the author. The ultra-descriptive narrative sometimes veers melancholic when the author realizes he's savoring the last morsels of these unique places. Climate catastrophe looms large.
For the armchair traveler who wants to get the full image of the landscape -- from the color of the sky to the depth of the trees to the texture of the ground -- this writing style is fully immersive. There are long flowing passages of description, and this is definitely not the kind of reading you can pick at here and there. No, Outlandish is the kind of reading that requires you to set aside a full afternoon to allow your imagination to run wild. You really have to indulge in the full Narnia-like experience to understand.
This style won't appeal to all readers, but the landscapes surely will.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Outlandish is the sort of niche travelogue that just begs for adjectives. Words like profound, evocative, exquisite, humbling, urgent, and flowing come to mind. Not for a casual reader, Outlandish is what you'd get if you crossed ecotourism with literature with a capital L.
Traveling to these endangered environments was clearly an emotional experience for the author. The ultra-descriptive narrative sometimes veers melancholic when the author realizes he's savoring the last morsels of these unique places. Climate catastrophe looms large.
For the armchair traveler who wants to get the full image of the landscape -- from the color of the sky to the depth of the trees to the texture of the ground -- this writing style is fully immersive. There are long flowing passages of description, and this is definitely not the kind of reading you can pick at here and there. No, Outlandish is the kind of reading that requires you to set aside a full afternoon to allow your imagination to run wild. You really have to indulge in the full Narnia-like experience to understand.
This style won't appeal to all readers, but the landscapes surely will.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
3.5 stars, rounded up
A contemplative book about some of the most interesting landscapes across the European continent, with the shadow of climate change looming large, the author recounts his experiences traversing the varied environments, encounters with esoteric people, and documents the 'Man vs Wild' conflict affecting the last remnants of the unique biomes.
A contemplative book about some of the most interesting landscapes across the European continent, with the shadow of climate change looming large, the author recounts his experiences traversing the varied environments, encounters with esoteric people, and documents the 'Man vs Wild' conflict affecting the last remnants of the unique biomes.
Europe is incredibly diverse in climate, geography, topography and culture. Nick Hunt highlights four such areas in Europe (Scotland, Poland and Belarus, Spain and Hungary) which seem incongruous and surprising as they are typically found elsewhere in the world. We can all understand the importance of preserving these outlandish places mentioned in the book and elsewhere. Sometimes what we discover in our back yards, whether solo or not, can mean pleasant learning experiences.
Hunt's vivid descriptions are incredible! He has such a beautiful way with words, sometimes witty, sometimes serious, always compelling. Not only does he describe the special wildernesses in each country but also details history climate (including the six general global zones), word origins, biodiversity and the impacts of climate change and includes maps. I really enjoyed the inclusion of animals such as Ibex, water buffalo, reindeer, bison and what sounds like porcupines, not where you'd expect them. I can relate to temperature extremes as I live in -40C to +40C and have experienced whiteouts and swirling blizzards thousands of times. And still hate winter! The winter descriptions here are brilliant. The cultural links, Hun origins, note in the car, "Geronimo", shaluf signals, Poland A and B and "breaking the low" are amongst my favourite tidbits. The book is jam-packed with fascinating information!
If you yearn for exploration (as I do!), travel, nature and cultural inspiration, do read this.
My sincere thank you to Nicholas Brealey US and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this lovely book.
Hunt's vivid descriptions are incredible! He has such a beautiful way with words, sometimes witty, sometimes serious, always compelling. Not only does he describe the special wildernesses in each country but also details history climate (including the six general global zones), word origins, biodiversity and the impacts of climate change and includes maps. I really enjoyed the inclusion of animals such as Ibex, water buffalo, reindeer, bison and what sounds like porcupines, not where you'd expect them. I can relate to temperature extremes as I live in -40C to +40C and have experienced whiteouts and swirling blizzards thousands of times. And still hate winter! The winter descriptions here are brilliant. The cultural links, Hun origins, note in the car, "Geronimo", shaluf signals, Poland A and B and "breaking the low" are amongst my favourite tidbits. The book is jam-packed with fascinating information!
If you yearn for exploration (as I do!), travel, nature and cultural inspiration, do read this.
My sincere thank you to Nicholas Brealey US and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this lovely book.
adventurous
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced