Atlas Obscura Second Edition Review: A Book for Travelers?
A large illustrated guide to the world's strangest places, from the people behind the Atlas Obscura website. The book you leave on the coffee table and open at random.
Yes, for curious travelers and armchair explorers alike. It is a book of places most guidebooks skip [1], heavy enough to feel like a real gift. Skip it for someone who reads only on a screen.
By Andrew Pataleta, GiftX founder · Updated October 29, 2026 · Sources
Specs at a glance
| Edition | Second edition [1] |
| Publisher | Workman Publishing [1] |
| Published | October 2019 [1] |
| Length | 480 pages [1] |
| Size | About 7.5 x 11 in [1] |
| Weight | About 3.2 pounds [1] |
Pros and cons
- Heavy, not a book to pack
- Some places are hard to visit
- Facts can date as places change
Strange places, one page at a time
Atlas Obscura started as a website cataloging odd museums, abandoned buildings and natural oddities. The book collects the best of those places in one large volume.
This is the second edition, published by Workman in 2019 [1]. At around four hundred eighty pages, it is a hefty, browsable book rather than a pocket guide [1].
Most people read it the same way: open anywhere, read a page, then show someone else.
Reading it from the couch
The format is built for browsing. Each entry is short, so it suits five minutes as well as an hour.
It works for two kinds of people. Travelers use it to plan detours on their next trip. Homebodies enjoy it as a cabinet of curiosities they may never visit.
At about eleven inches tall and over three pounds, it reads best at a table or on a lap [1].
It also makes a good family book. Kids enjoy the strange photos, and adults end up reading the entries aloud at the table, which is the best sign a gift book is working.
Heavy, and not for e-readers
This is not a book for a backpack. It is a coffee table book, not a travel companion.
Some places in it are remote or closed to visitors, and details change over time. Treat it as inspiration, then check before planning a trip.
And for someone who reads only on a tablet, a print brick like this may sit unopened.
Wrapping it for a traveler
It wraps easily and looks generous for the price. For the person who has been everywhere, it proves there is still somewhere new.
From this guide, pair it with the Scratch The World map so they can plan the trip and then scratch it off, or with the Hanayama Enigma for a curious mind.
Mark a page with a place you would like to visit together, and the gift becomes an invitation.
FAQ
What is Atlas Obscura about?
It is an illustrated guide to unusual places around the world: odd museums, strange buildings, natural wonders and local curiosities. The book grew out of the Atlas Obscura website, and this second edition runs to about four hundred eighty pages [1]. Most readers browse it rather than reading cover to cover [1]
Is Atlas Obscura a good gift for travelers?
Yes, especially for travelers who have seen the famous sights. It points to places most guidebooks skip, and it works as a planning book for detours. It is too heavy to pack, so it is a book for home rather than the road [1]
Which edition of Atlas Obscura should I buy?
The second edition from Workman, published in 2019, is the expanded version and the one most sellers stock [1]. There are also separate spin-off books, such as a kids' edition and a food edition, so check the title before buying if you want the original guide to places [1]
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Sources and how we checked
- Amazon.com listing for Atlas Obscura, 2nd Edition
Source check: Amazon prices and contents above were checked on October 29, 2026. We did not test these products hands-on. Picks are based on manufacturer specs, Amazon listings and the reasons people actually give these gifts.
As an Amazon Associate, GiftX earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability change, so check Amazon for the current price.