Outlandish by Nick Hunt: A Book Overview
Europe, a continent rich in history and culture, is often celebrated for its vibrant cities and charming landscapes. However, beyond the well-trodden paths lies a series of extraordinary natural wonders that challenge our perceptions of what European landscapes can be. In his latest book, “Outlandish,” acclaimed travel writer Nick Hunt invites us on an enthralling journey to explore some of Europe’s most unexpected and uncharted terrains.
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Walking Europe’s Unlikely Landscapes
Nick Hunt, in “Outlandish,” takes readers on a captivating tour through Europe’s most surprising wildernesses. These are landscapes that defy expectations, seeming more like fragments of distant continents mysteriously placed in Europe. The journey spans a diverse array of geographical anomalies: from a patch of Arctic tundra in Scotland to the vast stretches of primeval forest straddling Poland and Belarus. Hunt also unveils the stark beauty of Europe’s only true desert in Spain and the expansive grassland steppes of Hungary.
As we traverse from snow-capped mountains to dense forests, from deep desert ravines to sprawling, yellow grasslands, Hunt reveals these anomalies as portals to other parts of the world. They echo the landscapes of Africa, Asia, the Poles, or North America, making Europe appear larger, more mysterious, and brimming with undiscovered secrets.
A Journey Through Europe’s Wild Heart
“Outlandish” is more than a travelogue; it is a narrative that intertwines sublime travel writing with elements of nature and history. This book is a testament to the wild heart of Europe, still pulsing strongly in its outlandish landscapes. Against the backdrop of rapid climate change affecting deserts, steppes, and ancient forests worldwide, Hunt’s exploration gains urgency and relevance. He introduces us to the diverse wildlife inhabiting these areas, from reindeer in the tundras to wild horses on the steppes, and from the European bison in dense forests to wolves and ibex in remote corners.
- Hunt’s narrative weaves together various elements – Paleolithic cave art, stories of reindeer nomads and desert wanderers, accounts of shamans and Slavic forest gods, and tales of eco-activists and horseback archers;
- Each story adds a layer to our understanding of these landscapes, bringing to life the spirits of these places in a blend of history, myth, and contemporary environmental concerns.
Conclusion
In “Outlandish,” Nick Hunt offers a unique perspective on Europe. He shows us a continent that is not just a collection of countries with a long human history but also a land of wild, untamed beauty and diverse natural wonders. These outlandish environments, so close to home yet so vastly different from our typical view of Europe, invite us to reconsider our understanding of the natural world. They remind us that the strange and the mysterious are not always far away; sometimes, they lie just beyond our own backyards, waiting to be discovered and appreciated.