You Are Here: Tales of Cartographic Wonders

Maps have been with us for centuries, helping us to navigate the world around us and to understand our place within it. But maps are not just practical tools; they are also works of art, telling stories of exploration, discovery, and the human imagination.

In the new book You Are Here: Tales of Cartographic Wonders, authors Marc Aronson and Emily Thompson take us on a journey through the history of cartography, from the earliest star charts to the modern-day digital mapping marvels that we now take for granted.

You Are Here: Tales of Cartographic Wonders

by Lindsay Buroker

4.4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	884 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	343 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE

Along the way, we learn about the artistry and accuracy of ancient maps, such as the Babylonian Imago Mundi, which depicts the world as a flat disk surrounded by a circular ocean. We marvel at the navigational charts used by Christopher Columbus and other explorers, which helped to open up the New World. And we explore the maps that shaped our understanding of the United States, from the 1607 Jamestown map drawn by Captain John Smith to the iconic Lewis and Clark expedition map.

You Are Here is more than just a history of cartography, however. It is also a celebration of the power of maps to tell stories. In the book, Aronson and Thompson share the stories behind some of the most famous maps in the world, such as the Hereford Mappa Mundi, which depicts the world as a Christian paradise, and the Piri Reis map, which shows the Americas with surprising accuracy, centuries before Europeans had officially discovered them.

The book also explores the role of maps in modern society. We learn about the use of maps in GIS (geographic information systems) to analyze and visualize data, and we see how maps are being used to track the spread of diseases, predict natural disasters, and plan for a sustainable future.

You Are Here is a beautifully illustrated book that is both informative and inspiring. It is a must-read for anyone who is interested in maps, history, or the human story. It is a book that will make you look at maps in a whole new way.

Here are some of the most iconic maps featured in You Are Here:

• The Babylonian Imago Mundi (c. 600 BC): The oldest known map of the world, which depicts the world as a flat disk surrounded by a circular ocean.
• The Hereford Mappa Mundi (c. 1300): A beautiful and detailed map of the world that shows Jerusalem as the center of the universe.
• The Piri Reis map (c. 1513): A surprisingly accurate map of the Americas, drawn by a Turkish admiral centuries before Europeans had officially discovered them.
• The Jamestown map (1607): The first map of the English colony of Jamestown, Virginia.
• The Lewis and Clark expedition map (1804-1806): A map of the American West that was essential for the success of the Lewis and Clark expedition.
• The Great Trigonometrical Survey of India (1800-1870): A massive surveying project that created the first accurate map of India.
• The Ordnance Survey of Great Britain (1841-1953): A detailed survey of Great Britain that is still used today.
• The National Geographic Society's Atlas of the World (1911): A comprehensive atlas of the world that was a major achievement in cartography.
• The Google Earth map (2005-present): A digital map of the world that allows users to explore the Earth in three dimensions.

You Are Here is a fascinating and informative book that celebrates the power of maps to tell stories. It is a book that will make you look at maps in a whole new way.

About the Authors

Marc Aronson is a writer and editor who has written extensively about maps and cartography. He is the author of several books on the subject, including Mapmakers: The Lives and Times of the Great Pioneers in Cartography.

Emily Thompson is a cartographer and geographer who has worked on a wide range of mapping projects, from historical atlases to interactive digital maps. She is the co-author of several books on cartography, including The History of Cartography.

You Are Here: Tales of Cartographic Wonders

by Lindsay Buroker

4.4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	884 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	343 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE