French Literature Reviews - 2026
A. Corbin, Terra Incognita: A History of Ignorance
History, Politics and Society
Alain Corbin
Terra Incognita
Albin Michel
26 February 2020
288 pages
EAN13: 9782226449313
The history of ignorance is a fundamental subject. For millennia, we humans knew almost nothing about the Earth. Our frame of reference was largely confined to our local territories, landscapes, and villages. Maps would often bear the inscription: Terra Incognita. This book chronicles the incredible misconceptions that had to be overcome in order to unlock the secrets of our blue planet.
These errors were sometimes brilliant, often bizarre, but always fascinating. At the dawn of the 19th century, meteorology was fraught with unknowns. By 1840, the ocean depths remained an absolute mystery. In 1870, the majority of scientists still believed that a sea covered the poles. By 1900, no one had yet reached the stratosphere... Ignorance fueled the imagination of our ancestors. Alain Corbin's book revives our thirst for knowledge and transforms our perspective on the world.
Alain Corbin is a renowned French historian celebrated for his pioneering work in the history of sensibilities, the history of the senses, and the cultural perception of nature. In this volume, he turns his rigorous academic lens toward the vast territories of what was once unknown, charting the gradual retreat of mystery across successive centuries. By examining how earlier generations conceptualized the limits of their world, the author offers a compelling reflection on how societies construct knowledge and manage the boundaries of certainty.
This work will deeply interest historians, geographers, and general readers curious about the history of science and human imagination. It provides valuable context for understanding how scientific progress reshaped our relationship with the environment, moving from mythological assumptions to empirical inquiry. By documenting the brilliant and bizarre errors of the past, the book invites reflection on the nature of discovery and the persistent gaps in our own contemporary understanding of the planet.