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"A richly illustrated exploration of maps and mapmaking, Cartographia celebrates the work of those who have mapped the world from the dawn of civilization to the present. In a text that journeys beyond the basic geographical facts, each map becomes a visual record of human endeavor-ofdiverse cultural, social, and economic landscapes - and each has a tale of wonder to tell. These maps, in their amazingly various forms, are models of time, diaries of intrigue, and illuminating works of art. Together they provide a unique vision of how the world and our understanding of it have changed over the past several centuries." "More than 200 maps, selected from the Geography and Map Division of the Library of Congress - the largest cartographic collection in the world - are reproduced in this sumptuous volume. Some of the rarest and most spectacular maps ever made are featured here, including: the Waldseemuller Map of the World from 1507, the first to include the designation "America"; pages from Ortelius's Theatrum Orbis Terrarum of1570, considered the first modern atlas; rare maps from Africa, Asia, and Oceania that challenge traditional Western perspectives; William Faulkner's hand-drawn 1936 map of the fictional Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi; and a 2001 map of the human genome." "With their accompanying stories, the vivid color plates in Cartographia introduce the reader to an exciting new way of reading maps as travelogues - as living histories from the earliest imaginings about planet Earth to our current attempts at charting cyberspace, the latest of our "last frontiers.""--BOOK JACKET.… (more)
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The book is arranged in sections divided by region of the world (i.e. Mediterranean, Europe, the Americas, Asia, etc). The text is extremely informative, well-written and engaging, while also very concise and focused. The map photos are absolutely breath-taking! Apparently the U.S. Library of Congress map collection contains more than 4.8 million original maps, and more than 60,000 atlases from ancient times to the present- which is absolutely incredible in and of itself!
Some of the maps and sections I found most interesting were: the early maps of the "New World," with all their interesting speculations and inaccuracies; the maps of Egypt- both by the ancient Egyptians, as well as maps made by Napoleon's early 19th century expedition and others. This magnficient volume also includes some early road and transit maps made right around the time that the national highway system was beginning to take shape across America in the mid twentieth century.
I highly, highly recommend this excellent volume- not only for the amazing maps and excellent text, but also for a sense of perspective of how maps have been shaped by human cultural perceptions of those in power throughout the ages. It is also a great book for parents with school age children, or to display as a living room, coffee table conversation piece. Pick this one up, and enjoy!
Anyway, it's actually a good book for background on maps from human history and from around the world. It's just best to take the text in small doses and try to set aside the blatant political commentary that slips in here and there.
Os.