The Signet-Hammond World Atlas

The handsomeness, not the innovation, of this atlas is its noteworthy feature. The preface advertises the use of revolutionary computerized tools and a huge new map database, but the end result has some problems. The new tools have apparently encouraged the map-designers to sample the world's

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landforms in unconventional slices, sometimes resulting in selections that defy common sense, such as the plate on "East Central Africa," which fails to depict any single country in its entirety. The basic maps are accurate, thorough, and scholarly. But the "Global Relationships" section is disappointing: Design overtook sense and led to a number of color-keyed data maps with nearly indistinguishable shadings and minuscule legends.
(john)

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