Links to Other Imaginary Places

Islandia, the finest of imaginary lands described in a remarkable eponymous novel. Islandia demonstrates that the best society is the one that allows the human heart to blossom in peace. This elegant criticism of American bourgeois mores was written by a successful Boston patent attorney with a penchant for sailing. It (like the country it portrays) is bucolic, and extremely slow by present day standards. It is hardly perfect by socialist or politically correct standards, but it displays an admirable sensitivity concerning relations between the sexes and between man and the earth.

• A site devoted to Islandia.
• A brief essay on its author, Austin Tappan Wright, with some quotations from critical essays written in the past.
• A student' s book report which provides a brief summary.

Island written by Aldous Huxley late in his life, a utopian fantasy apparently written to counterbalance the dystopia of his Brave New World. His imaginary society blends social engineering, good psychology, eastern religion and hallucinogenic drugs. While Orwell's 1984 mocked communism, Brave New World showed how capitalism can (and will) become totalitarian. Island reflects a lot of what he expressed in The Doors of Perception. More on Huxley. See Island.org for a psychedelic community based on the book.

Some imaginary nations on the web:

Taemoea-- an iconoclastic island-state located in the Baltic Sea. Our favorite of all the imaginary lands available on the Web. Moreover, Bergonia and Taemoea enjoy warm fraternal relations. Visit our well-conceived ally.

Verduria -- complete in every way, especially detailed languages. Better than Bergonia.

Micronations-- a directory of various micronations sponsored by the Holy Empire of Reunion, probably the world's most esteemed micronation.

The USSR still lives-- a directory of socialist, red and bizarre imaginary lands.

Webring of Imaginary Countries-- with links to other sites.

List of fictional countries, most from literature.

Dutch Geo-Fictional Association

ImagiNations-- a big directory of imaginary nations grouped together on several imaginary planets. Their main interest seems to be the creations of flags, but featuring some very nice work in other regards too.

Talossa-- an on-line adventure in nation-inventing.

Penguinea-- ruled by a council based on consensus, and with an active free press.

Corvinia-- another microstate "not to be confused with reality."

Gehennum-- a nicely detailed fantasy country.

Creating a country, especially drawing the maps, is a valid exercise in teaching geography, mathematics, measurement, basic statistics, physical science, earth and environmental science. It also provides a gateway into cultural studies, government, economics, and the other social sciences. One great British country-making example.

Republic: The Revolution -- a fictional country game.

Do you know of a web site we should list? Let us know. Send us suggestions.