Atlas of an Anxious Man straddles many genres. Flirting with travelogue, memoir, fiction, historical account and anthropological study, this collection of short pieces (calling them "stories" seems both to over- and under-represent their intent and effect) whirls with experiences, crossing the boundaries between countries, times and means of narrative. The result is a rare treat, but even as it defies classification, the book fits snugly into one category: masterpiece.
The book begins with the narrator (who may or may not be Austrian author Christoph Ransmayr) traveling to Easter Island, before heading to all corners of the world, including Sri Lanka, the American Southwest and the Himalayas. Each chapter begins with "I saw," placing the reader in the middle of whatever moment Ransmayr (The Dog King) wants to ruminate on. One assumes that each story he tells did in fact occur, but the book is less a history of his life and more a collection of dazzling memories, opening up various expanses of human existence and the world. The breadth of Ransmayr's travels is staggering, only equaled by his ability to recount perfectly what has happened to him. Fans of authors such as W.G. Sebald will relish the exquisite prose and subtle hints at the fallibility of the narrator, while lovers of travel and adventure will be sucked into the incredible descriptions of the natural world. No matter how one comes to Atlas of an Anxious Man, readers will find it a delight. --Noah Cruickshank, marketing manager, Open Books, Chicago, Ill.