Island : how islands transform the world / J. Edward Chamberlin.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction -- 1: First Islanders: -- Settlers and storytellers -- 2: Islands On The Horizon: -- Crossing the waters -- 3: Origin Of Islands: -- Ocean bottoms and volcano tops -- 4: Origin Of Species: -- Island plants and animals -- 5: Amazing Islands: -- Real, imagined, and in between -- Afterword -- Notes and acknowledgments -- Index.

Overview: An exploration into the cultural, natural, and historical significance of islands, this unique book delves into what islands represent, how different cultures view them, and even the geological roots of island formations. Islands play a significant role in both the ancient and modern world, and play an important part in how civilizations were formed. The book looks at islands through the lens of the philosophical, psychological, biological, and political, as human identity has revolved around islands ever since people first discovered them. It celebrates islands for all their worth, whether real or invented, literal or fictitious, as a central part of the human narrative.