St. Helena
The Dead End of Empire and the Art of Isolation
€4.40
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St. Helena: The Dead End of Empire and the Art of Isolation is a wildly entertaining, darkly humorous, and oddly moving exploration of one of the most remote inhabited islands on Earth.
Perched alone in the South Atlantic, over a thousand miles from anywhere else, St. Helena is best known as Napoleon’s final exile – and least known for everything else. This book changes that.
With wit, irreverence, and the occasional historical side-eye, St. Helena dives deep into the island’s volcanic birth, its bizarre colonial legacy, its eccentric culture, and the stubborn charm of its people, the “Saints.” You’ll meet ghost stories with more credibility than some governors, goats with attitude problems, and tortoises that outlived empires.
From its accidental discovery to its use as an imperial dumping ground, from airport fiascos to whispered folklore, this is the story of a place that refused to vanish – no matter how many times the world forgot it. Blending travel writing, history, folklore, and a generous dose of gallows humor, this is not your average island guide.
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to live on a rock at the end of the world – or if you simply enjoy laughing while learning things you can weaponize at parties – this is the book for you.
Warning: reading may lead to spontaneous plane tickets, existential clarity, and unsolicited goat facts.
Perfect for fans of Bill Bryson, Mary Roach, and anyone with a soft spot for misfit geography.