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Last Places Pa by Millman — book cover

Last Places Pa

by Millman, Paul Theroux
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Overview

A classic of northern exploration and adventure, LAST PLACES is Lawrence Millman's marvelously told account of his journey along the ancient Viking sea routes that extend from Norway to Newfoundland. Traveling through landscapes of transcendent desolation, Millman wandered by way of the Shetland Islands, the Faeroes, Iceland, Greenland, and Labrador. His way was marked by surprising human encounters—with a convicted murderer in Reykjavik, an Inuit hermit in Greenland, an Icelandic guide who leads him to a place called Hell, and a Newfoundlander who warns him about the local variant of the Abominable Snowman. By turns earthy and lyrical, LAST PLACES is an ebullient celebration of the exotic North.

Synopsis

A classic of northern exploration and adventure, LAST PLACES is Lawrence Millman's marvelously told account of his journey along the ancient Viking sea routes that extend from Norway to Newfoundland. Traveling through landscapes of transcendent desolation, Millman wandered by way of the Shetland Islands, the Faeroes, Iceland, Greenland, and Labrador. His way was marked by surprising human encounters—with a convicted murderer in Reykjavik, an Inuit hermit in Greenland, an Icelandic guide who leads him to a place called Hell, and a Newfoundlander who warns him about the local variant of the Abominable Snowman. By turns earthy and lyrical, LAST PLACES is an ebullient celebration of the exotic North.

Publishers Weekly

The author retraces the Vikings' route from Norway to Newfoundland and Labrador. ``Millman's descriptive writing borders on the florid, but he captures the beauty and fragility of an austere landscape,'' said PW. (Jan.)

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Editorials

From the Publisher

"In Millman's harsh North, the stark beauty of the last places lingers."

Boston Globe

"This is a fascinating, powerful, beautiful book. Millman's a genius."—Annie Dillard

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

The author retraces the Vikings' route from Norway to Newfoundland and Labrador. ``Millman's descriptive writing borders on the florid, but he captures the beauty and fragility of an austere landscape,'' said PW. (Jan.)

Library Journal

Known for his travel writing, Millman chronicles his journey across the breadth of the North Atlantic, following the route of the Vikings. The armchair traveler accompanies Millman on board various ships from Bergen, Norway, via the Shetland Islands, the Faeroes, Iceland, and Greenland, to Labrador and Newfoundland. The author not only describes the beauty of these remote places but relates the history of their land and people, tells tales of the local mythology, and has heartwarming encounters with the native residents. He never fails to point out how environmental and social changes are endangering these far away and forgotten lands. Millman's acerbic wit makes the book extremely entertaining. He imparts his love and respect for the primitive radiance of the landscape and the hardy character of the region's often eccentric residents.-- Melinda Stivers Leach, Precision Editorial Svces., Wondervu, Col.

Book Details

Published
November 1, 2000
Publisher
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pages
254
Format
Paperback
ISBN
9780618082483

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