This new addition to The Shelves is another of those single topic books – remember Salt? – about the history and influence of one specific thing. In this case, it’s a pretty big thing! Island: How Islands Transform the World by J. Edward Chamberlin:

Island tells the groundbreaking story of humans and islands throughout history, and illuminates the ways in which islands transform the world. It celebrates islands, be they real or imagined, barren or beautiful, large or small, as a central part of our lives.