10 Must-Read Books About Maps

Maps are some of the earliest forms of data visualization, dating back centuries. They are fascinating because they have the ability to reflect the views and agendas of a particular time and place.

The holidays are coming up and a new school year has just begun, so we thought we’d make a list of 10 must-read books for the map lover in your life:

1) Great Maps

by Jerry Brotton

‘Revealing the stories behind 55 historical maps by analyzing graphic close-ups, Great Maps profiles key cartographers and explorers to look why each map was commissioned, who it was for and how they influenced navigation, propaganda, power, art, and politics.’

2) Transit Maps of the World

by Mark Ovenden

‘Using glorious, colorful graphics, Mark Ovenden traces the history of mass transit-including rare and historic maps, diagrams, and photographs, some available for the first time since their original publication.’

3) The Atlas of Design – Volume II

by the North American Cartographic Information Society (NACIS)

‘The Atlas aims to inspire readers both within the field of cartography and without toward new understandings of design, and of the power that a well-crafted map can have. Volume III is currently in the works.’

4) Making Maps: DIY Cartography – Third Edition

by John Krygier and Denis Wood

‘This text has given thousands of students and professionals the tools to create effective, compelling maps. All components of map making are covered: titles, labels, legends, visual hierarchy, font selection, data organization, and more. ‘

5) Strange Maps

by Frank Jacobs

‘An intriguing collection of more than one hundred out-of-the-ordinary maps, blending art, history, and pop culture for a unique atlas of humanity. This collection includes 138 unique graphics, illustrations, and fun statistics.’

6) The Mapmakers

by John Noble Wilford

‘Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner John Noble Wilford recounts the history of cartography from antiquity to the space age. Wilford shows the impact of new technologies that make it possible for cartographers to go where no one has been before.’

7) The Ghost Map

by Steven Johnson

‘The story of London’s most terrifying epidemic – and how it changed science, cities, and the modern world. As the cholera outbreak takes hold, aphysician and a local curate are spurred to action-and ultimately solve the most pressing medical riddle of their time.’

8) How to Lie with Maps: Second Edition

by Mark Monmonier

‘This lively, cleverly illustrated essay on the use and abuse of maps teaches us how to evaluate maps critically and promotes a healthy skepticism about these easy-to-manipulate models of reality.’

9) Maphead

by Ken Jennings

‘Ken Jennings takes readers on a world tour ofgeogeeks. Each chapter delves into a different aspect of map culture:highpointing, geocaching, road atlas rallying, even the “unreal estate” charted on the maps of fiction and fantasy.’

10) A History of the World in Twelve Maps

by Jerry Brotton

‘A fascinating look at twelve maps from Ancient Greece to Google Earth and how they changed our world. In this masterful study, historian and cartography expert Jerry Brotton explores a dozen of history’s most influential maps.’

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