Strange Maps: An Atlas of Cartographic Curiosities
by Frank Jacobs
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Book Summary Information
Author: Frank JacobsEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-10-29
ISBN: 0142005258
Number of pages: 256
Publisher: Studio
Book Reviews of Strange Maps: An Atlas of Cartographic Curiosities
Book Review: What goes around comes around
Summary: 5 Stars
Frank Jacobs's website has an honored icon on my Desktop; it's great fun to check what new and wonderful map he has come up with recently. All of his discoveries appeared first in print in a wide variety of publications, sometimes reprinted more than once. Jacobs then converts his map of the week to digital form and posts it on his website together with informative and amusing commentary.
This pretty little book collects some of his favorite maps and put them back into print again. As other reviewers have mentioned, the website is a living resource for anyone interested in maps. But it's very satisfying somehow to hold this book in the hand, partly to feel more in touch with the original version of the maps and partly to support Jacobs's efforts.
As an example of Jacobs point of view, this extract comes from a recent interview in "The New York Times":
"They say a picture is worth a thousand words. To rephrase that cartographically: a map is worth a thousand statistics. One of the best examples of cartography with a cause are Dr. John Snow's mid-19th-century cholera maps. His cartographic juxtaposition of cholera outbreaks and water sources showed the link between a contaminated water supply and the prevalence of the disease. By eliminating certain pumps, cholera cases were reduced dramatically. Dr Snow's research helped create the discipline of epidemiology. So yes, maps and the particular way in which they present information can be very influential indeed.
"Another stark example is Dr. Minard's map of Napoleon's ill-advised Russian campaign, also discussed in my book. It is a marvel of data presentation, combining six different sets of information. One of those is the size of Napoleon's army, represented by 1 millimeter for every 10,000 soldiers. The tiny trickle leaking out of Russia compared to the massive arrow going in is as horrifying an indictment as any of the madness and human cost of war."
If you have any interest in maps (or even if you don't and would like to understand why others might be), stop by the website or even better buy this fine book as well. It's one of those books you'll lend out time and again, assuming your friends ever return it.
Robert C. Ross 2009
Summary of Strange Maps: An Atlas of Cartographic Curiosities
An intriguing collection of more than one hundred out-of-the-ordinary maps, blending art, history, and pop culture for a unique atlas of humanitySpanning many centuries, all continents, and the realms of outer space and the imagination, this collection of 138 unique graphics combines beautiful full-color illustrations with quirky statistics and smart social commentary. The result is a distinctive illustrated guide to the world. Categories of cartographic curiosities include: ? Literary Creations, featuring a map of Thomas More's Utopia and the world of George Orwell's 1984
? Cartographic Misconceptions, such as a lavish seventeenthcentury map depicting California as an island
? Political Parody, containing the "Jesusland map" and other humorous takes on voter profiles
? Whatchamacallit, including a map of the area codes for regions where the rapper Ludacris sings about having "hoes"
? Obscure Proposals, capturing Thomas Jefferson's vision for dividing the Northwest Territory into ten states with names such as Polypotamia and Assenisipia
? Fantastic Maps, with a depiction of what the globe might look like if the sea and land were inverted
The Strange Maps blog has been named by GeekDad Blog on Wired.com "one of the more unusual and unique sites seen on the Web that doesn't sell anything or promote an agenda" and it's currently ranked #423 on Technorati's Top 500 Blogs.
Brimming with trivia, deadpan humor, and idiosyncratic lore, Strange Maps is a fascinating tour of all things weird and wonderful in the world of cartography.
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