Remarkable Maps: 100 Examples of How Cartography Defined, Changed and Stole the World

Clark, John O. E. (ed.)

ISBN 10: 1844860272 / ISBN 13: 9781844860272

Published by Conway Maritime Press, 2005

About this Item

Square 4to (30.5 x 29 cm), 256 pp. Publisher's cloth with dust jacket (minor shelf wear). Cartography provides remarkable waypoints for understanding changes in different cultures through history, both scientifically and artistically. It can also serve as an expression of political struggle and aspiration. Some maps have even been used as weapons--anyone who doubts this need only trace the bitter history of the Balkans. Some of the maps in this book had devastating consequences, such as the 1885 map of Africa that divided the continent among European colonial powers. Others are simply beautiful, like the ?Dream Time? maps of the Australian Aborigines or the brilliantly engraved Dutch maps of the 16th century. Still others are scientifically groundbreaking, such as William Smith?s geological map of England and Wales, which profoundly changed our understanding of geological forces and revolutionized paleontology. The maps explored here include imaginative works, such as the maps of Middle-Earth from Tolkien?s Lord of the Rings--arguably the most mapped fictional place ever. Some are sinister, even disturbing, like the Nazi ?Utopian? city plan. Each of these maps has its own fascinating story. While presented as a series of extraordinary short stories, they are also organized to illustrate the chronological development of cartography and uncover the scientific and sometimes political context behind them. (From the blurb).

Seller Inventory # 009244

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Remarkable Maps: 100 Examples of How Cartography Defined, Changed and Stole the World
• Publisher: Conway Maritime Press
• Publication Date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1844860272
• ISBN 13: 9781844860272
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Very Good
• Seller catalogs:
  • Cartography

About this title

Synopsis

Cartography provides marvellous waypoints for changes in different cultures through history, both scientifically and artistically. It can also be an expression of political struggle and aspiration. Some maps have been weapons. Anyone who doubts this need only trace the bitter history of the Balkans. Some of the maps in this book had devastating consequences, such as the 1885 map of Africa that carved up the continent among the European colonial powers. Some maps are simply beautiful, such as the ‘Dream Time’ maps of the Australian Aborigines or the brilliantly engraved Dutch maps of the 16th century. Others are scientifically outstanding for various reasons, like William Smith’s geological map of England and Wales, the work of one man that profoundly changed our understanding of geological forces and at the same time revolutionised the science of paleontology. The maps considered here include pure works of the imagination, like the maps of Middle-Earth in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, surely the most mapped non-existent place ever. Some are sinister, even disturbing: consider the Nazi ‘Utopian’ city plan. What all the maps have is their own fascinating story. The cartographic achievement of Lewis and Clark in mapping the American West is one of the great adventures, as is the British mapping of all India – which took 60 years. While approachable as a series of extraordinary short stories, these maps are organized to explain the chronological development of cartography and to reveal the scientific and sometimes political background.

About the Author

Martin Evans is a prolific Pitkin author with numerous titles in the British History series. These include The Second World War, Ypres in War and Peace and D-Day and the Battle of Normandy.