A History of the 20th Century in 100 Maps - Hardcover

Tom Harper; Tim Bryars

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0712358560 ISBN 13: 9780712358569

Publisher: The British Library Publishing Division, 2014

Synopsis

The 20th century was a golden age of map-making, and maps permeated almost every aspect of daily life. It was a century overshadowed by war which was also marked by tremendous social and technological change to which millions of contemporary maps bear witness. Most were created for a specific and immediate purpose, and have never been reprinted or discussed, until now., From the first British concentration camps to the only Nazi labour camp on British soil, and from a trench map used at the Battle of the Somme to an escape and evasion map from the first Gulf War, this book explores the cartographic legacy of 20th-century conflict, from top-secret documents to mass propaganda. These 100 maps tell many stories, revealing changing social attitudes towards the unfamiliar and unconventional, from Jewish London at the turn of the century to women in the workplace, and from the Edwardian opium trade to gay London in the 1980s. The maps cover the peak of imperial pageantry as well as rapid post-war decolonisation, and they explore technological change from the expansion of the London Underground system to 1980s computer games., This book tells the story of a 'British' 20th century, but one which has been interpreted in the broadest possible sense, culturally and geographically.

About this title

Review:

I was enchanted ... Deeply revealing as well as hugely entertaining ... If this book is a 'hail and farewell' to the printed map, it could not have been done with more verve or variety. --The Times

[This book] shows you all you need to know about the power of maps to inform, entertain and induce wonder. 'A History of the 20th Century in 100 Maps' ranges all over the place in the best possible way ... But what I really like about it is that it demonstrates the vivid ability of maps to portray human achievement and folly like nothing else on earth. --Simon Garfield, Intelligent Life

Here we see how maps have reached into every corner of people's lives, and their variety and what they have been used for over the generations is a revelation ... A fascinating meander through the journey of life in the 20th century. --Family Tree magazine

So many intriguing social and historical stories are unfolded here, in a cartographical century of imaginative, enthralling maps, rarely or never before seen. --Saga

An extremely interesting and unusual look at the history of the 20th century through maps... A wonderful collection of images, from picture postcards to propaganda posters. --Good Book Guide

About the Author:

Tim Bryars is an antiquarian bookseller in London's West End, a leading specialist in the field of rare maps and organiser of the London Map Fair. Tom Harper is Curator of Antiquarian Mapping at the British Library and the co-author of Magnificent Maps: Power, Propaganda and Art (British Library, 2010).

About this edition

• Publisher: The British Library Publishing Division
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 0712358560
• ISBN 13: 9780712358569
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 240