Some years, this annual book list falls into a pattern: like stand-out memoirs or dystopian fiction. But 2022 could not be contained, and these titles sprawl all over the place in subject and form.
(Image credit: NPR)
UnCovered review by Beth Bliss, ACLS Brigantine Branch Manager
As unusual as it might seem to recommend an encyclopedic book for casual reading, the venerable series ATLAS OBSCURA: AN EXPLORER’S GUIDE TO THE WORLD’S HIDDEN WONDERS offers a wealth of information about curiosities ranging from the sublime (such as the Japanese artist and illustrator Hayao Miyazaki’s anime that spawned passionate followings in both the Eastern world and the Western), to the bizarre, to the grotesque (“necropants,” anyone?) There are even some regional connections in this book, such as Philadelphia’s Mütter Museum.
With fold-out maps and a plethora of colorful plates, this book has something for all. There’s even an edition for the younger set! You might want to alert your children to THE ATLAS OBSCURA EXPLORER’S GUIDE FOR THE WORLD’S MOST ADVENTUROUS KID.
This year's selection of visual delights highlights the work of artists and designers who have made an enduring impact, including Lucian Freud, Elsa Schiaparelli and Patti Smith.
(Image credit: Meghan Collins Sullivan/NPR)