PATAGONIA, a vast region located at the southern extremity of South America, presents an array of otherworldly landscapes, encompassing the Andes mountain range, crystalline lakes and fjords, temperate forests, glaciers, and boundless deserts and steppes.

Maria Sonia Cristoff’s work, False Calm (Daunt Books, £10.99), seeks to challenge the idyllic perception of Patagonia by recounting the stories of several ghost towns that were negatively affected by the decline of the oil boom.

This non-fiction book serves as both a travelogue and a personal essay, guiding the author to the peripheries of Patagonia. It may resonate with admirers of Bruce Chatwin, Susan Sontag, or WG Sebald, as each of the 10 essays intricately intertwines the stories of individuals and communities abandoned by the hydrocarbon industry, enriched with anecdotes, vignettes, and ethereal descriptions expertly translated by Katherine Silver.