The description on the inside flap of this Mind-Expanding Exploration of the Way the World Looks promises "a stimulating journey grounded in the idea that maps hold the key to what makes us human." However, it's really more of a miscellany on the theme of maps: the chapters are largely independent of each other, and are written in a human interest style that shies away from technical detail.
The book looks and feels great. A hardcover in trade paperback size, with a nicely designed cover and plenty of illustrations. It tells entertaining stories about treasure maps, illusory islands and mountain ranges, forgery, board games, and our developing sense of the globe. I just didn't find it all that informative. The clearest example is the chapter "What's the Good of Mercator?"It describes who Mercator was and mentions the existence of other projections, but doesn't really explain their relative merits.
The book looks and feels great. A hardcover in trade paperback size, with a nicely designed cover and plenty of illustrations. It tells entertaining stories about treasure maps, illusory islands and mountain ranges, forgery, board games, and our developing sense of the globe. I just didn't find it all that informative. The clearest example is the chapter "What's the Good of Mercator?"It describes who Mercator was and mentions the existence of other projections, but doesn't really explain their relative merits.
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