Island, or The Justification of Meaningless Travels

"Island, or The Justification of Meaningless Travels" by Vasily Golovanov is an essay-book, documentary prose, and equally artistic prose, a travelogue filled with philosophy and poetry. A meditative journey becomes a way of creative interaction with the geographical territory. Exploring... time and space, Golovanov describes the harsh yet alluring northern landscapes of Kolguev Island, reflects on the past and future of this pristine land, showcases the lifestyle of nomadic peoples, and gives voice to the Nenets and Pomors themselves.
The journey to the polar island became for the author a journey into himself, and the island became a territory of salvation, where one can attain inner freedom and, seemingly, the lost ability to create. Golovanov has constructed a completely unique world in "Island," which one wants to return to over and over again.