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An Atlas of Extinct Countries
Prisoners of GeographyÌýmeets Bill Bryson: a funny, fascinating, beautifully illustrated â€� and timely â€� history of countries that, for myriad and often ludicrous reasons, no longer exist.
Countries die. Sometimes it's murder, sometimes it's by accident, and sometimes it's because they were so ludicrous they didnt deserve to exist in the first place. Occasionally they explode violently. A few slip away almost unnoticed. Often the cause of death is either 'got too greedy' or 'Napoleon turned up'. Now and then they just hold a referendum and vote themselves out of existence.
This is an atlas of 48 nations that fell off the map. The polite way of writing an obituary is: dwell on the good bits, gloss over the embarrassing stuff. This book refuses to do so, because these dead nations are so full of schemers, racists, and con men that it's impossible to skip the embarrassing stuff.
Because of this - and because treating nation-states with too much reverence is the entire problem with pretty much everything - these accounts are not concerned with adding to the earnest flag saluting in the world, however nice some of the flags might be.
Countries die. Sometimes it's murder, sometimes it's by accident, and sometimes it's because they were so ludicrous they didnt deserve to exist in the first place. Occasionally they explode violently. A few slip away almost unnoticed. Often the cause of death is either 'got too greedy' or 'Napoleon turned up'. Now and then they just hold a referendum and vote themselves out of existence.
This is an atlas of 48 nations that fell off the map. The polite way of writing an obituary is: dwell on the good bits, gloss over the embarrassing stuff. This book refuses to do so, because these dead nations are so full of schemers, racists, and con men that it's impossible to skip the embarrassing stuff.
Because of this - and because treating nation-states with too much reverence is the entire problem with pretty much everything - these accounts are not concerned with adding to the earnest flag saluting in the world, however nice some of the flags might be.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published September 3, 2020
351 people are currently reading
6,727 people want to read
About the author
Gideon Defoe
12Ìýbooks288ÌýfollowersGideon Defoe never meant to become an author. When Defoe bumped into a woman he had pursued during his time studying archaeology and anthropology at Oxford, they began chatting about what they were up to. Realising that his job temping for Westminster council was not going to win him any romantic points, he told her that he was writing a novel. She asked to see it, at which point he found that he really was writing a novel. His manuscript was originally circulated among friends, who photocopied it and passed it on until, eventually, it fell into the hands of a literary agent.
He was raised by his mother in the south of England. His late father wrote thrillers that featured a lot of sexy Russian spies seducing middle-aged men uncannily like him.
His mother says he is a direct descendant of Daniel Defoe. He says he won't be convinced until he has seen the family tree.
He was raised by his mother in the south of England. His late father wrote thrillers that featured a lot of sexy Russian spies seducing middle-aged men uncannily like him.
His mother says he is a direct descendant of Daniel Defoe. He says he won't be convinced until he has seen the family tree.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 521 reviews
March 1, 2022
An Atlas of Extinct Countries
by Gideon Defoe gives a small amount of information about 48 nations that do not exist today. Categorizing this book as historical humor or geography is probably most appropriate.
The way the book was organized did not work well for me. It is organized by how the country was founded (person, mistake, lies, etc.). It would have flowed better for me if it had been organized by region and then in chronological order. It only includes 48 nations and does not intend to be comprehensive. Highlighting con men, racists, and mistakes, the light-hearted approach used by the author did not work for me. Instead, it was often sad or worse.
The text entries for each country are a brief two or three pages, but do include a map, and the country they are now part of as well as some interesting bits about its founding, life, and demise. Some existed for hundreds of years while others existed for a day. There is a bibliography at the end as well as information on selected flags and anthems.
Overall, this was interesting, but felt disorganized.
Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
The way the book was organized did not work well for me. It is organized by how the country was founded (person, mistake, lies, etc.). It would have flowed better for me if it had been organized by region and then in chronological order. It only includes 48 nations and does not intend to be comprehensive. Highlighting con men, racists, and mistakes, the light-hearted approach used by the author did not work for me. Instead, it was often sad or worse.
The text entries for each country are a brief two or three pages, but do include a map, and the country they are now part of as well as some interesting bits about its founding, life, and demise. Some existed for hundreds of years while others existed for a day. There is a bibliography at the end as well as information on selected flags and anthems.
Overall, this was interesting, but felt disorganized.
Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
December 19, 2024
The concept of the book hugely appealed to me as I like geography and history a lot, yet unfortunately this book was really bad. The author takes a look at 48 countries that are no more, some of them that lasted centuries and some lasting only days, there are even some countries that in reality did not even exist. Each one has about 2 pages of facts cherry picked by the author to try to make his writing funnier, and this does not tell the real story of some of these very interesting countries. I knew about more than half the countries mentioned and some of them has very interesting histories that is ruined by this book, so the ones I did not know of I will go and look at their histories on my own to learn something interesting about them.
The author also tries to be overly funny, and just comes out as a bit irritating in the end, like the person in a conversation that just tries too hard to be funny. Stay clear if you actually are interested in learning something useful. Worst book of the 2024 for me personally.
The author also tries to be overly funny, and just comes out as a bit irritating in the end, like the person in a conversation that just tries too hard to be funny. Stay clear if you actually are interested in learning something useful. Worst book of the 2024 for me personally.
October 29, 2020
Countries die. Sometimes it’s murder, sometimes it’s by accident, and sometimes it’s because they had such a ludicrous start in life they didn’t really deserve to exist in the first place. In this alternative history of the world, discover new countries and far-off places you never knew existed (and now definitely don’t). A minor clerical error inadvertently creates an anarchist utopia and embarrasses a Pope. The self-proclaimed younger brother of Jesus declares independence from China and starts one of history’s bloodiest civil wars. A republic is formed to dodge a tax on lemons. Scotland wrongly decides it’s a great idea to colonise Panama. These are the obituaries of places that fell off the map. I mean, what could be better than learning intriguing stories about dead nations whilst laughing continuously at the sardonicism?
Unlike anything I've ever read before, this is a captivating and endlessly fascinating romp through countries that cease to exist today. I wasn't expecting the humour and wit that are liberally sprinkled between the pages but it only added to the enjoyment. It is an entertaining read from start to finish and the fresh and vibrant accompanying illustrations really complement the narrative beautifully. An Atlas of Extinct Countries is an invitation to explore the world’s deceased nations, both famous and forgotten, whilst also judging important academic issues such as ‘how much effort put into flag design� and ‘catchiness of national anthem�. The unlikely and unusual stories of these annihilated nations offers a new perspective on global history and the state of the world today. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Fourth Estate for an ARC.
Unlike anything I've ever read before, this is a captivating and endlessly fascinating romp through countries that cease to exist today. I wasn't expecting the humour and wit that are liberally sprinkled between the pages but it only added to the enjoyment. It is an entertaining read from start to finish and the fresh and vibrant accompanying illustrations really complement the narrative beautifully. An Atlas of Extinct Countries is an invitation to explore the world’s deceased nations, both famous and forgotten, whilst also judging important academic issues such as ‘how much effort put into flag design� and ‘catchiness of national anthem�. The unlikely and unusual stories of these annihilated nations offers a new perspective on global history and the state of the world today. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Fourth Estate for an ARC.
July 29, 2020
A poorly researched, juvenile attempt at historical satire. I love short historical works like this usually. They're meant to be fun and educational. But the glaring historical misrepresentation and cherry-picked anecdotes made this an utterly appalling shot at non-fiction. It's too short to go into more than cursory detail into each of the countries Defoe writes about, and his research and writing chops obviously aren't up to the task of writing anything more in-depth.
This book was lazy. Lazy writing. Lazy research. It's not one I'll be recommending to anyone, not when far better books of this idiom exist.
This book was lazy. Lazy writing. Lazy research. It's not one I'll be recommending to anyone, not when far better books of this idiom exist.
January 26, 2025
Don't expect any deep analysis of historical developments here. This is tongue-firmly-planted-in-cheek history. It was a lot of fun to read and, while I knew about a lot of the countries mentioned, such as the Republic of Texas, the German Democratic Republic, and Yugoslavia ( but no Confederate States or Soviet Union in the book), there were a lot of countries I had never heard of.
I've long been interested in tiny countries since reading "The Mouse That Roared" back in elementary school. I was glad there were countries like Bhutan and Sikkim. I know Bhutan still exists but Sikkim has ceased to exist and I didn't know what happened to it. Defoe writes that India took it over in a twenty- minute blitzkrieg. A pity.
My favorite of all the extinct countries is The People's Republic of Tannu Tuva (1921-1944). Physicist Richard Feynman was fascinated by the mysterious country with its distinctive stamps and he wanted to go there. As it was under the control of the USSR, it was difficult to gain entry there. He was finally given permission to enter the country and the letter granting him that permission arrived two days after he died.
The Republic of Cospaia, the Kingdom of Bavaria, the State of Muskogee, Ruthenia, and Maryland in Africa--they all had their moments, sometimes all too brief. At least, we still have Andorra and San Marino and Nauru among others.
Hail Tannu Tuva! May she live again!!
I've long been interested in tiny countries since reading "The Mouse That Roared" back in elementary school. I was glad there were countries like Bhutan and Sikkim. I know Bhutan still exists but Sikkim has ceased to exist and I didn't know what happened to it. Defoe writes that India took it over in a twenty- minute blitzkrieg. A pity.
My favorite of all the extinct countries is The People's Republic of Tannu Tuva (1921-1944). Physicist Richard Feynman was fascinated by the mysterious country with its distinctive stamps and he wanted to go there. As it was under the control of the USSR, it was difficult to gain entry there. He was finally given permission to enter the country and the letter granting him that permission arrived two days after he died.
The Republic of Cospaia, the Kingdom of Bavaria, the State of Muskogee, Ruthenia, and Maryland in Africa--they all had their moments, sometimes all too brief. At least, we still have Andorra and San Marino and Nauru among others.
Hail Tannu Tuva! May she live again!!
June 20, 2022
This is an amusing and educational book about 48 countries that are no longer found in the atlas as separate countries.
Some of these countries you might have heard of, Formosa for example which is now known as Taiwan. Others include Easter Island (now part of Chile), Yugoslavia (now six separate states), and Venice (now part of Italy).
Most of these places never got going such as The Great Republic of Rough & Ready in California whose citizens were still hoping to celebrate 4th July even though the 'country' had seceded from the rest of the USA. The Californians wouldn't sell the citizens of Rough & Ready any alcohol as they were no longer American citizens and also didn't have a right to celebrate Independence Day. The citizens of Rough & Ready had a rethink based on this information and decided to rejoin the USA so they could drink some alcohol and celebrate.
Other wonderful stories include Neutral Moresnet, a territory that existed from 1816 to 1920. It became neutral because of a zinc mine that neither the United Kingdom of the Netherlands nor the Kingdom of Prussia were willing to give up control of. Moresnet was 1 mile wide and 3 miles long, with an area of 900 acres. Once the zinc mine was finished, Moresnet tried casinos, stamp issuing, and gin distilling to create an economy. Some were more successful than others.
Moresnet introduced Esperanto as the official language in 1908, the only country so to do. Inevitably after WWI the country couldn't last and became part of Belgium.
Some of these countries you might have heard of, Formosa for example which is now known as Taiwan. Others include Easter Island (now part of Chile), Yugoslavia (now six separate states), and Venice (now part of Italy).
Most of these places never got going such as The Great Republic of Rough & Ready in California whose citizens were still hoping to celebrate 4th July even though the 'country' had seceded from the rest of the USA. The Californians wouldn't sell the citizens of Rough & Ready any alcohol as they were no longer American citizens and also didn't have a right to celebrate Independence Day. The citizens of Rough & Ready had a rethink based on this information and decided to rejoin the USA so they could drink some alcohol and celebrate.
Other wonderful stories include Neutral Moresnet, a territory that existed from 1816 to 1920. It became neutral because of a zinc mine that neither the United Kingdom of the Netherlands nor the Kingdom of Prussia were willing to give up control of. Moresnet was 1 mile wide and 3 miles long, with an area of 900 acres. Once the zinc mine was finished, Moresnet tried casinos, stamp issuing, and gin distilling to create an economy. Some were more successful than others.
Moresnet introduced Esperanto as the official language in 1908, the only country so to do. Inevitably after WWI the country couldn't last and became part of Belgium.
August 22, 2020
This book is full of fascinating facts about countries (using a very wide definition of ‘country�) that no longer exist. A few you will have heard of � such as Yugoslavia and The German Democratic Republic � and many that have been justly consigned to a long-forgotten history. Some, such as Cospaia, were formed by cartographic accidents. Many were formed by mountebanks � exclusively male, predominantly white, European.
Perhaps the weirdest one was the Ottawa Civic Hospital Maternity Ward which lasted only one day:
While I am sure that the author has double-checked all of his facts, his opinions (and sarcasm) are a large part of the book. Most of the time the comments are amusing, and many chime with my own ideas � but over time they can become wearing. I did object to Ludwig II of Bavaria (whom I have a soft spot for, having studied in Bayreuth) and George III (one of Britain’s brightest and best kings ever, but sadly suffering from porphyria which affected his mind in later life) being labelled as mad. Other readers may have other objections, depending on their politics and social mores � be warned.
The last section of the book (“Puppets and Political Football�) is overtly political, dealing with more recent (and better known) extinct countries. The author has obviously had some problems publishing the book in areas which consider some of his chapters contentious.
Overall, this is a very interesting and enjoyable book � probably better read in short bursts rather than from cover to cover in one sitting.
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
PS: Quotes that I will not be putting in my review for Amazon etc. Apologies to any Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ or NetGalley friends I have offended.
“There’s a strangely consistent psychological profile that fits Guys Who Set Up Countries. Dead dad, raised by a doting mum, serially unfaithful, stint in the army or navy, writer or journalist, can’t be trusted with money, fantasist�
Perhaps the weirdest one was the Ottawa Civic Hospital Maternity Ward which lasted only one day:
“In 1940, Germany invaded the Netherlands, and the Dutch royal family went into exile � safety in the Canadian capital, Ottawa. While living there,(Princess Juliana)
got pregnant with her third child. � the Dutch constitution was airtight on the issue � nobody could take their place in the line of succession if they were born on the soil of another country. � So, the Canadian government � passed a law � providing ‘an extra-territorial character to any place in which the heir presumptive to the throne of the Netherlands may be confined and in which an heir to such throne may be born’�
While I am sure that the author has double-checked all of his facts, his opinions (and sarcasm) are a large part of the book. Most of the time the comments are amusing, and many chime with my own ideas � but over time they can become wearing. I did object to Ludwig II of Bavaria (whom I have a soft spot for, having studied in Bayreuth) and George III (one of Britain’s brightest and best kings ever, but sadly suffering from porphyria which affected his mind in later life) being labelled as mad. Other readers may have other objections, depending on their politics and social mores � be warned.
The last section of the book (“Puppets and Political Football�) is overtly political, dealing with more recent (and better known) extinct countries. The author has obviously had some problems publishing the book in areas which consider some of his chapters contentious.
Overall, this is a very interesting and enjoyable book � probably better read in short bursts rather than from cover to cover in one sitting.
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
PS: Quotes that I will not be putting in my review for Amazon etc. Apologies to any Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ or NetGalley friends I have offended.
“The Republic of Formosa May–October 1895: Some nation states � even massive ones like China � are so weirdly insecure that they get anxious if, say, your contents list happens to contain the name of a country they don’t officially recognise as ever having existed. To the extent that they’ll refuse to print your book and you’ll have to go and get it done in Slovenia instead. � Slovenia, being part of the Balkans, inevitably has a slightly more adult level of acceptance about the confusing nature of existence than the One Indivisible China�
“A grim postscript in case the story isn’t already grim enough for you: the Bridgestone Corporation, which operates as Firestone in Liberia, was found guilty of forced labour by the UN as recently as 2005. Modern-day slavery goes on flourishing in the state set up for free slaves. �
“The Republic of Texas 1836�46: When the Brexit results were announced, a small group in Texas got very excited. If the fey, famously reticent limeys could risk their economy collapsing for the sake of some semi-mythical nostalgia then surely the comparatively bold ‘Texians� could too. The press even started referring to ‘Texit�, because annoying portmanteaus are universally loved by lazy journalists no matter where in the world you are. The republic would rise again! �
“The problem with being a Bold Man of Action like Vladimir Putin is that there are only so many creatures you can wrestle with your shirt off/migrating geese you can lead back home in your micro-glider/ancient urns you can find on your impromptu and very legitimate underwater archaeological dives. When the photo ops run dry you’ve got one option left, the predictable choice of all good despots: take over Crimea. �
“Mutual war crimes aren’t the most solid basis for a nation, but over the next 30 years Tito managed to wodge everything back together, partly through sheer force of personality.�
March 20, 2022
My thanks to Gideon Defoe, Europa Compass/Editions and Netgalley. This book was an immediate "get" for me. I have this weird thing with maps. I want to know all past and present countries and their placement. How they got there and why. I have maps all over my bedroom walls and ceiling. I enjoyed the heck out of this book. The author also has a dry wit, that made for easy reading.
March 16, 2022
2/10 stars
My full review on my .
You know this habit some people have, reading in the toilet? I won’t discuss the lack of hygiene of this solution to the WC boredom, but I want to point out that some people even have special books filled with fun facts waiting in the toilet just for the right time. It can be a short or a long visit, and you’ll never fail to learn a thing or two (provided you take care to wash your hands, or else you’ll learn more than you’ve bargained for about E. coli). They cointain mostly useless but nevertheless briefly interesting bits of wisdom such as the name of the fear of clowns (coulrophobia, for those curious). These books are intentionally light, nonsensical and fluffy, and usually made on a surprisingly good paper. I suspect that they possibly have a second function, if the toilet paper suddenly runs out.
Defoe’s book is just like that.
Don’t get me wrong. It can be fun in small doses. But the incessant chattery and artificially snappy tone started grating on my nerves after a couple pages, and the sad thing is, it never stopped. I guess that’s a positive thing in your average toilet book � after all, you don’t want to spend too much time in the WC � but as I didn’t read it in the toilet� well, let’s say it took me inordinate amount of time, in small, carefully dosed increments, to read this.
At first I was even mildly amused. I mean, it’s a cool idea, to talk about the countries that once were, or never were, to tell the stories of how such a thing as country even emerges. But Defoe has a very clear agenda here, which is to not think, but deride, point fingers, and generally indulge in gossip, in order to shore up his thesis that
I’ll give him that: he wrote the whole book just for the purpose of proving his thesis. Talk about dedication. The problem is, though, that while I don’t completely disagree with this thesis, I also cannot endorse it. Implausibility of a country stems from a fact that it is a grand social make-believe experiment. It’s at once wondrous and appalling, and incredibly fascinating. But Defoe doesn’t see any of that � he only sees failed ideas and scams and get-rich-quick schemes. And blatant cherrypicking in order to say “I told you so� is the worst type of sin in what is supposed to be a non-fiction publication.
[...]
What can I say? If you’re really pressed in your toilet, you may make some use of this book. Otherwise, not recommended.
I have received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
My full review on my .
You know this habit some people have, reading in the toilet? I won’t discuss the lack of hygiene of this solution to the WC boredom, but I want to point out that some people even have special books filled with fun facts waiting in the toilet just for the right time. It can be a short or a long visit, and you’ll never fail to learn a thing or two (provided you take care to wash your hands, or else you’ll learn more than you’ve bargained for about E. coli). They cointain mostly useless but nevertheless briefly interesting bits of wisdom such as the name of the fear of clowns (coulrophobia, for those curious). These books are intentionally light, nonsensical and fluffy, and usually made on a surprisingly good paper. I suspect that they possibly have a second function, if the toilet paper suddenly runs out.
Defoe’s book is just like that.
Don’t get me wrong. It can be fun in small doses. But the incessant chattery and artificially snappy tone started grating on my nerves after a couple pages, and the sad thing is, it never stopped. I guess that’s a positive thing in your average toilet book � after all, you don’t want to spend too much time in the WC � but as I didn’t read it in the toilet� well, let’s say it took me inordinate amount of time, in small, carefully dosed increments, to read this.
At first I was even mildly amused. I mean, it’s a cool idea, to talk about the countries that once were, or never were, to tell the stories of how such a thing as country even emerges. But Defoe has a very clear agenda here, which is to not think, but deride, point fingers, and generally indulge in gossip, in order to shore up his thesis that
“countries are just daft stories we tell each other. They’re all equally implausible once you get up close.�
I’ll give him that: he wrote the whole book just for the purpose of proving his thesis. Talk about dedication. The problem is, though, that while I don’t completely disagree with this thesis, I also cannot endorse it. Implausibility of a country stems from a fact that it is a grand social make-believe experiment. It’s at once wondrous and appalling, and incredibly fascinating. But Defoe doesn’t see any of that � he only sees failed ideas and scams and get-rich-quick schemes. And blatant cherrypicking in order to say “I told you so� is the worst type of sin in what is supposed to be a non-fiction publication.
[...]
What can I say? If you’re really pressed in your toilet, you may make some use of this book. Otherwise, not recommended.
I have received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 24, 2021
This was an absolute delight of a book combining several of my interests 9random trivia, geography, maps, extinct countries, etc.) and Dafoe’s terrific humorous presentation.
I was actually only familiar with the author’s work through his pirate series and I’m thrilled he’s branching out. The man created a wildly entertaining and appropriately amusing (for these things are genuinely funny) guide to all manner of almosts, neverquites, just abouts, WTF, oops and what were they thinkings snafus of ambitious if misguided out geopolitical snafus.
A quick fun read, this armchair travelogue’s speed is set on gallop, but you’ll get the idea. You might get many ideas, actually. You might even start a country�
Recommended. Absolutely.
This and more at
I was actually only familiar with the author’s work through his pirate series and I’m thrilled he’s branching out. The man created a wildly entertaining and appropriately amusing (for these things are genuinely funny) guide to all manner of almosts, neverquites, just abouts, WTF, oops and what were they thinkings snafus of ambitious if misguided out geopolitical snafus.
A quick fun read, this armchair travelogue’s speed is set on gallop, but you’ll get the idea. You might get many ideas, actually. You might even start a country�
Recommended. Absolutely.
This and more at
May 14, 2020
thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy in return for an open and honest review
this an short easy and quirky read which makes you laugh as well as it looks at countries which didnt last long/ exist anymore. can see this book being one of those christmas stocking fillers which delight people.
this an short easy and quirky read which makes you laugh as well as it looks at countries which didnt last long/ exist anymore. can see this book being one of those christmas stocking fillers which delight people.
March 27, 2024
I'd like to say something nice about this book but I can't. It is lazy, sloppy and not funny or amusing. What humour there seems to be is entirely of the sort in which English people (I am saying that very specifically because I am not including any of the Celtic nations within Britain) find foreigners and their antics excruciatingly funny because they aren't English. This books shrieks xenophobia on every page. In addition there is no rational behind the inclusion or exclusion of various countries (if you include Bavaria why not any of the other kingdoms, principalities and duchies of various sorts that made up the German Empire?). The levity he does introduce when dealing with characters like William Walker and his attempts to create 'countries' in various parts of Mexico and Central America is particularly distasteful as he fails to mention Walker's first act in the 'countries' he tried to create was to reintroduce slavery.
A very tawdry book which leaves a very unpleasant aftertaste.
A very tawdry book which leaves a very unpleasant aftertaste.
February 5, 2021
Perhaps a rating of 2 is a bit harsh but I think my main issue with this book is that the short summaries of each 'extinct country' weren't all that memorable, probably owing to the sheer number of them. There wasn't really enough information on each to learn much of anything but it did manage to pique my interest and I'd like to pick up some more books which are focussed on just one country/major event in history, allowing them to go into more depth. That said it wasn't an entirely unenjoyable experience, just need to take it for what it is.
April 19, 2021
To be fair, there are a few countries in this Atlas that never existed at all. But whether they existed in reality or in one pompous man’s ambitious dreams, all are fascinating.
This is a very readable � and very snarky � history of places and people that failed miserably.
You can page through it to see what catches your attention, or read straight through, but every entry is definitely worth reading!
The author is dry and funny and definitely gives the side eye to invaders of all stripes.
I thoroughly enjoyed this one!
*ARC via Net Galley
September 6, 2020
I wanted to like this book since I found it had such a potential. I looked forward to learning new things, and feel a bit wiser. Instead I had to stop listening to the audiobook version after some chapters, because the sarcastic sense of humor was too off putting for me. For those who love humor like this I’m sure it’s an enlightening read, but for me it destroyed the experience.
May 30, 2023
Countries come and countries go in this snarky look at countries that no longer exist, starting with Silla in 57BC and ending with Crimea in 2014 (but not in chronological order in the book) by British author and film developer .
February 15, 2022
I added this to my TBR in order to meet the requirements of a challenge, but I'm glad that I did. It's a collection of the stories of countries that existed at one time (sometimes only for less than an hour!) but which no longer are considered countries. I was only familiar with a few of the stories (well, duh, Texas as I had to study Texas history in school not only one year but two). It was interesting to see that many of them seem to have been created by the scheming of various greedy and strikingly odd men.
December 3, 2021
An Atlas of Extinct Countries is packed with humor AND facts. It's basically the perfect non-fiction, geography-focused read. I set it down, finished, and immediately wanted to pick it back up to start over at the beginning.
In three-page essays, Gideon Defoe gives the history of some barely-remembered nation-states around the world. By and large, the reasons why these nations came to be (and then ceased to be) are fascinating. There were some characters back in the day. Even modern-times nations like Crimea or Yugoslavia get an interesting, amusing treatment. You'll basically find yourself rushing to Wikipedia with every page. I'm desperate for a sequel volume this very minute plz thx.
In three-page essays, Gideon Defoe gives the history of some barely-remembered nation-states around the world. By and large, the reasons why these nations came to be (and then ceased to be) are fascinating. There were some characters back in the day. Even modern-times nations like Crimea or Yugoslavia get an interesting, amusing treatment. You'll basically find yourself rushing to Wikipedia with every page. I'm desperate for a sequel volume this very minute plz thx.
May 6, 2021
This is an amusing account of many countries that you probably never heard of and a few that you probably did know about. All have one thing in common: they don't exist anymore. Each well researched and accessibly presented chapter will tell you the history of the country, and what its status is now (e.g. part of some other country).
I loved the writers tongue in cheek approach. It was never flippant, just a dry wit that made a potentially dry subject a pleasure to read. There are some interesting facts in there too, although perhaps largely of use to trivia fans.
I loved the writers tongue in cheek approach. It was never flippant, just a dry wit that made a potentially dry subject a pleasure to read. There are some interesting facts in there too, although perhaps largely of use to trivia fans.
January 13, 2021
This would have been much better if the author put more effort into actually writing instead of just trying to be funny for 200 or so pages. In saying that, one of these stars is purely because he quoted Father Ted.
January 4, 2021
An interesting and light hearted (though adequately disapproving of colonialist policy) read that was perfect to kick off my reading for 2021.
June 5, 2023
Not having actually set foot in any of these countries, I did, at one time, collect their stamps. Countries like Sarawak, Bavaria, Fiume, and Manchukuo had plenty spaces for stamps in stamp books, but so little information on location and reason for being wherever they were. I remember wanting to visit Tannu Tuva and Fiume, merely on how fascinating their stamps were. And then they disappeared, remembered briefly in stamp catalogues. Great book for me. Fascinating stuff.
March 8, 2021
This is an ARC Review. Many thanks to Europa Compass and Edelweiss.
I was expecting a more extensive history, but I would categorize this book more as a cute coffee-table piece. That's not to say it doesn't present valuable information, it just doesn't present much detail. Some of my favorite little facts I did not know previously:
And that's just a few. So, there are valuable historical tidbits in here but, aside from some random footnotes (like one on how to make beef jerky... I guess it was relevant because the people in question made beef jerky, but, relevant or not, was it necessary?), there is very little (if any) information offered to back up Defoe's claims. For example, he calls one ruler of Bavaria "definitely insane" and just leaves it at that; it may be true, but back up your claims with sources, or at least some more details! The whole book seems almost rushed, like Defoe was given a word count he couldn't exceed. The sections on each country were incredibly short (generally around 5 pages), which is partially what makes me call it a "coffee table book." You just can't get very in-depth in so few pages.
Finally, this book suffers a great deal from trying too hard to sound quirky, and it looses some credibility in the process. It is important for an author to find his/her unique voice, but not at the expense of authenticity. The tone of this book just comes off as overwhelmingly overplaying. It even veers into cringey and lightly condescending territory (to the subjects) in some parts. For example, when referring to one man who starved himself to death as a prisoner, Defoe included... just a really bad pun: "he was understandably pretty fed up by this point." It's solid dark humor, but it just rubbed me wrong in that context. As I said, I appreciate an author trying to find his voice, but this voice didn't quite work for me. That's not to say it won't work for you, though.
So, overall, this wasn't a bad book, it just wasn't what I expected. I was thinking something more along the lines of Matyszak's Forgotten Peoples of the Ancient World (excellent, btw) and less Drunk History. If you're looking for a light, unique, fun-info-for-parties book this will probably be a good one for you. If you're looking for a more historical text, just understand that this book does give you some great research points but it doesn't provide much detail.
Some things I liked:
The what3words geocoding system is so neat and something I'd never heard of before. Instead of latitude and longitude, this system uses three random words to identify worldwide locations. For example, the Chrysler Building in NYC is found by ///enhance.slowly.lace. Way cooler than latitude and longitude.
I also liked the little information sections preceding each country chapter, giving details such as currency, population, languages, "cause of death," etc. The hand-drawn maps were also a neat touch.
It has a nice bibliography for further reading and research.
I viewed this more as a con but it could also be a pro: the short chapters are quite easy to read and would be good if you're short on time or just looking for something light.
Some things I didn't like:
The writing style just tries too hard to be quirky and it doesn't come across well to me.
The sections on each country are tiny and don't present a lot of historical information (though they do provide some jumping-off points for research if you're interested).
I found a few typos and formatting issues, BUT I assume these will be corrected in further proofreads as this is an advance copy.
"[C]ountries are just daft stories we tell each other."
"All countries rely on belief, or at least a suspension of disbelief. They need a reason to exist based on a common history or people or language or adversary - or, most usually, some poorly thought-out mix of all of those."
I was expecting a more extensive history, but I would categorize this book more as a cute coffee-table piece. That's not to say it doesn't present valuable information, it just doesn't present much detail. Some of my favorite little facts I did not know previously:
The creation and funding of New Caledonia would leave Scotland so bankrupt that it, at least partially, pushed them into signing the Act of Union.
Franceville was "one of the very first nations to practise [sic] universal suffrage" (though only white males could be elected).
Naissar, the island on which The Soviet Republic of Soldiers & Fortress Builders of Naissar was built, translates as "Island of Women," leading "some to suggest it might be the same Island of Women, home to a mythical race of Amazons, recorded by Adam of Bremen a thousand years ago."
The Tangier International Zone (1924-56) "was one of the few places in the world you could be openly gay [at the time] without winding up in prison."
"[A] more recent, real-life version of the Amazons [was] the West African Kingdom of Dahomey, unique for boasting a substantially female army."
And that's just a few. So, there are valuable historical tidbits in here but, aside from some random footnotes (like one on how to make beef jerky... I guess it was relevant because the people in question made beef jerky, but, relevant or not, was it necessary?), there is very little (if any) information offered to back up Defoe's claims. For example, he calls one ruler of Bavaria "definitely insane" and just leaves it at that; it may be true, but back up your claims with sources, or at least some more details! The whole book seems almost rushed, like Defoe was given a word count he couldn't exceed. The sections on each country were incredibly short (generally around 5 pages), which is partially what makes me call it a "coffee table book." You just can't get very in-depth in so few pages.
Finally, this book suffers a great deal from trying too hard to sound quirky, and it looses some credibility in the process. It is important for an author to find his/her unique voice, but not at the expense of authenticity. The tone of this book just comes off as overwhelmingly overplaying. It even veers into cringey and lightly condescending territory (to the subjects) in some parts. For example, when referring to one man who starved himself to death as a prisoner, Defoe included... just a really bad pun: "he was understandably pretty fed up by this point." It's solid dark humor, but it just rubbed me wrong in that context. As I said, I appreciate an author trying to find his voice, but this voice didn't quite work for me. That's not to say it won't work for you, though.
So, overall, this wasn't a bad book, it just wasn't what I expected. I was thinking something more along the lines of Matyszak's Forgotten Peoples of the Ancient World (excellent, btw) and less Drunk History. If you're looking for a light, unique, fun-info-for-parties book this will probably be a good one for you. If you're looking for a more historical text, just understand that this book does give you some great research points but it doesn't provide much detail.
Some things I liked:
The what3words geocoding system is so neat and something I'd never heard of before. Instead of latitude and longitude, this system uses three random words to identify worldwide locations. For example, the Chrysler Building in NYC is found by ///enhance.slowly.lace. Way cooler than latitude and longitude.
I also liked the little information sections preceding each country chapter, giving details such as currency, population, languages, "cause of death," etc. The hand-drawn maps were also a neat touch.
It has a nice bibliography for further reading and research.
I viewed this more as a con but it could also be a pro: the short chapters are quite easy to read and would be good if you're short on time or just looking for something light.
Some things I didn't like:
The writing style just tries too hard to be quirky and it doesn't come across well to me.
The sections on each country are tiny and don't present a lot of historical information (though they do provide some jumping-off points for research if you're interested).
I found a few typos and formatting issues, BUT I assume these will be corrected in further proofreads as this is an advance copy.
Read
January 5, 2022Last year saw two writers I consider among the funniest of recent years move into sort-of-travel-books-but-not-in-any-useful-way, which would be an odd coincidence even before you consider how much harder the Event has made actual travel. And certainly this worked better for me than Nate Crowley's Notes From Small Planets, though it does suffer from one of the same hindrances � a changing cultural climate combining with the genre switch to leave a writer who has always excelled at the raised eyebrow now feeling it proper and/or politic to make their disapproval of things like imperialism somewhat clearer. As such, if you're expecting the full deadpan absurdity, spiced with in-jokes for fans of Terrance Dicks, which made The Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists and its sequels such a delight, you may be slightly disappointed. But on the whole, it is still an entertaining read. Sticking � mostly � to the era of nation states proper means there's less overlap than you might think with something like Norman Davies' Vanished Kingdoms, not to mention the entries here being considerably briefer, breezier, and less likely to sneer at you for not knowing what or where Burgundy was despite themselves being suspiciously reluctant to clearly summarise that. There's the odd mis-step � boilerplate denunciations of colonialism before getting on with the ludicrous details of a given colonial project are one thing, but the line for a broadly comic book should probably be drawn somewhere before Leopold II's monstrous 'Congo Free State', especially when the introduction admits that it breaches the book's self-assigned rules by having in a territorial sense (if no other, thank heavens) survived to the present day. More often than not, though, the book wonderfully illustrates the quote on the back cover � "Countries are just daft stories we tell each other. They're all equally implausible once you get up close." Here are countries which existed almost solely because of annoyance over the price of beef jerky (but still gave Garibaldi a handy dry run for other projects, and you could argue for his future association with snacks), which only lasted for a day, or which may only ever have been an exaggeration of a particular town's isolated and ornery ways into anecdotal nationhood. Several have had their supposed cause and flag adopted by revanchists generations later, though in at least one case, Formosa, the revival movement's aims could be argued to be diametrically opposed to those for which the flag originally stood. And simply having that one in the contents list meant the book had to be printed in Slovenia rather than China, which goes to show quite how reluctant some of those daft stories still are to have anyone think too hard about this stuff.
May 9, 2020
While reading this very short book, I choked, I snorted , I laughed. I highly recommend this book if you are interested in weird topics like" Oh I wonder what happened to the extinct countries" .
I think this sums up the book, "Countries die. Sometimes it’s murder. Sometimes it’s an accident. Sometimes it’s because they were too ludicrous to exist in the first place. Every so often they explode violently. A few slip away unnoticed. Often the cause of death is either ‘got too greedy� or ‘Napoleon turned up�. Now and then they just hold a referendum and vote themselves out of existence."
* I received an e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review via netgalley .
** The quote is taken from an ARC and is liable to change.
I think this sums up the book, "Countries die. Sometimes it’s murder. Sometimes it’s an accident. Sometimes it’s because they were too ludicrous to exist in the first place. Every so often they explode violently. A few slip away unnoticed. Often the cause of death is either ‘got too greedy� or ‘Napoleon turned up�. Now and then they just hold a referendum and vote themselves out of existence."
* I received an e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review via netgalley .
** The quote is taken from an ARC and is liable to change.
March 7, 2022
Fun Discussion of Countries That No Longer Exist
A really fun account of countries that no longer exist. What we know, who lived there and where it is now are some tidbits contained in this fun volume.
A really fun account of countries that no longer exist. What we know, who lived there and where it is now are some tidbits contained in this fun volume.
October 18, 2020
A witty and anecdotal look into the history of various countries that no longer exist.
Very enlightening and approached in such a light hearted way it made the book very easy to listen to.
Very enlightening and approached in such a light hearted way it made the book very easy to listen to.
October 4, 2021
An interesting book. A series of brief biographies of countries that no longer exist. Many were in existence for a short time. Many have been forgotten to history.
December 12, 2022
All countries rely on belief, or at least a suspension of disbelief. P218
Even stuck in the middle of the ocean, humans will still find a way to disagree with approximately 50% of their neighbours over some stupid thing. P60
What surprised me the most about this short tease of a book featuring 48 extinct countries, was that these are not the ones that flashed through my mind when I picked it up. Sumeria, I was thinking; Babylon; Assyria but Gideon Defoe has assembled a roster that flourished closer to our time. Most of these few have heard of, like the Islands of Refreshment, with its population of 7 that lasted less than a handful of years; others
were notorious, like The German Democratic Republic which carried on for almost forty, oppressing millions.
Efficiently organized and full of obscure facts that checked out, each entry includes a brief bio with languages spoken, currency in use, and current status.
Although he does not come right out and say it, his sly humour, his frequent use of the adjectives stupid and silly, and the abundant examples he gives of crooked megalomaniacs and brazen scoundrels, leads this reader to conclude that he is not entirely convinced of the validity of nations in the first place.
A lot of people find comfort in having rules, even if the rules are stupid and sometimes evil. P223
Even stuck in the middle of the ocean, humans will still find a way to disagree with approximately 50% of their neighbours over some stupid thing. P60
What surprised me the most about this short tease of a book featuring 48 extinct countries, was that these are not the ones that flashed through my mind when I picked it up. Sumeria, I was thinking; Babylon; Assyria but Gideon Defoe has assembled a roster that flourished closer to our time. Most of these few have heard of, like the Islands of Refreshment, with its population of 7 that lasted less than a handful of years; others
were notorious, like The German Democratic Republic which carried on for almost forty, oppressing millions.
Efficiently organized and full of obscure facts that checked out, each entry includes a brief bio with languages spoken, currency in use, and current status.
Although he does not come right out and say it, his sly humour, his frequent use of the adjectives stupid and silly, and the abundant examples he gives of crooked megalomaniacs and brazen scoundrels, leads this reader to conclude that he is not entirely convinced of the validity of nations in the first place.
A lot of people find comfort in having rules, even if the rules are stupid and sometimes evil. P223
June 25, 2022
Snarky and sometimes slightly exaggerated, but highly entertaining and we learned tons. Read aloud as a family. My son-in-law Ben chose this one and read it each night.
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