Overview

“I love maps. I love math. And gosh, do I love this book, which so beautifully and clearly sounds the depths of both.” —Ben Orlin, author of Math with Bad Drawings Explore the surprising connections between math and maps—and the myriad ways they’ve shaped our world and us. Why are coastlines and borders so difficult to measure? How does a UPS driver deliver hundreds of packages in a single day? And where do elusive serial killers hide? The answers lie in the crucial connection between maps and math. In Mapmatics, mathematician Paulina Rowińska leads us on a riveting journey around the globe to discover how maps and math are deeply entwined, and always have been. From a sixteenth-century map, an indispensable navigation tool that exaggerates the size of northern countries, to public transport maps that both guide and confound passengers, to congressional maps that can empower or silence whole communities, she reveals how maps and math have shaped not only our sense of space but our worldview. In her hands, we learn how to read maps like a mathematician—to extract richer information and, just as importantly, to question our conclusions by asking what we don’t see. Written with authority and compassion, wit and unforgettable storytelling, this is math exposition at its best. By unpacking the math behind the maps we depend on, Mapmatics illuminates how our world works and, ultimately, how we can better look after it.

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9780674294233

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Reviews

A wonderfully readable adventure through the mathematical poetry of mapping. Paulina Rowińska has created something really special, a book that celebrates the science and ideas behind the cartographic art with tales of everything fascinating, from criminal geography to ancient earthquake detectors. An essential guide that illuminates how much of our understanding of the world, the past, and indeed the people around us is shaped by the mathematician and the mapmaker. -- Edward Brooke-Hitching, author of <i>The Madman's Library</i> A highly readable account of how mathematics and mapmaking have joined forces to inform not only our view of the world, but our view of ourselves. The historical insights and human stories bring the whole topic vividly to life. -- Ian Stewart, author of <i>What's the Use?</i> Guides you elegantly, like a beautifully drawn map, through the fascinating stories behind centuries of mapmaking . . . Highly entertaining. -- Tim James, author of <i>Fundamental</i> Opens our eyes to the use of ‘mapmaking’ in the broadest sense . . . If you have ever wondered why an airliner bound from London to Los Angeles flies over Greenland, how we know what lies inside the Earth, or how computers correct errors, then this is for you. I learned a lot. -- John Gribbin, author of <i>Six Impossible Things</i> This book blew my mind, again and again. Rowińska covers an astonishing range of topics, from our brain to our planet, with personal stories and, yes, math, but she also scrutinizes the social and political impacts of maps on our lives. -- Roma Agrawal, author of <i>Built</i>

A highly readable account of how mathematics and mapmaking have joined forces to inform not only our view of the world, but our view of ourselves. The historical insights and human stories bring the whole topic vividly to life. -- Ian Stewart, author of <i>What's the Use?</i> A wonderfully readable adventure through the mathematical poetry of mapping. Paulina Rowińska has created something really special, a book that celebrates the science and ideas behind the cartographic art with tales of everything fascinating, from criminal geography to ancient earthquake detectors. An essential guide that illuminates how much of our understanding of the world, the past, and indeed the people around us is shaped by the mathematician and the mapmaker. -- Edward Brooke-Hitching, author of <i>The Madman's Library</i> Guides you elegantly, like a beautifully drawn map, through the fascinating stories behind centuries of mapmaking . . . Highly entertaining. -- Tim James, author of <i>Fundamental</i> Opens our eyes to the use of ‘mapmaking’ in the broadest sense . . . If you have ever wondered why an airliner bound from London to Los Angeles flies over Greenland, how we know what lies inside the Earth, or how computers correct errors, then this is for you. I learned a lot. -- John Gribbin, author of <i>Six Impossible Things</i> This book blew my mind, again and again. Paulina Rowińska covers an astonishing range of topics, from our brain to our planet, with personal stories and, yes, math, but she also scrutinizes the social and political impacts of maps on our lives. -- Roma Agrawal, author of <i>Built</i> Paulina Rowińska spins a fascinating story about the development of maps and mathematics. It’s no exaggeration to say I learned something new on almost every page. -- Kit Yates, author of <i>The Math of Life and Death</i>

A highly readable account of how mathematics and mapmaking have joined forces to inform not only our view of the world, but our view of ourselves. The historical insights and human stories bring the whole topic vividly to life. -- Ian Stewart, author of <i>What's the Use?</i> A wonderfully readable adventure through the mathematical poetry of mapping. Paulina Rowińska has created something really special, a book that celebrates the science and ideas behind the cartographic art with tales of everything fascinating, from criminal geography to ancient earthquake detectors. An essential guide that illuminates how much of our understanding of the world, the past, and indeed the people around us is shaped by the mathematician and the mapmaker. -- Edward Brooke-Hitching, author of <i>The Madman's Library</i> Guides you elegantly, like a beautifully drawn map, through the fascinating stories behind centuries of mapmaking . . . Highly entertaining. -- Tim James, author of <i>Fundamental</i> Opens our eyes to the use of ‘mapmaking’ in the broadest sense . . . If you have ever wondered why an airliner bound from London to Los Angeles flies over Greenland, how we know what lies inside the Earth, or how computers correct errors, then this is for you. I learned a lot. -- John Gribbin, author of <i>Six Impossible Things</i> This book blew my mind, again and again. Rowińska covers an astonishing range of topics, from our brain to our planet, with personal stories and, yes, math, but she also scrutinizes the social and political impacts of maps on our lives. -- Roma Agrawal, author of <i>Built</i> Rowińska spins a fascinating story about the development of maps and mathematics. It’s no exaggeration to say I learned something new on almost every page. -- Kit Yates, author of <i>The Math of Life and Death</i>

What a delightful book! On the surface (no pun intended), this book looks like a fun exploration of problems that arise as we create, navigate, or otherwise interact with maps. Along the way, we encounter many curious characters and learn a surprising amount about history and psychology. But at the end of our journey, as we follow the twists and turns of Paulina Rowińska’s marvelous and often humorous prose, without the use of any formulas, we come away with an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics. Highly recommended! -- Arthur Benjamin, author of <i>The Magic of Math</i> A wonderfully readable adventure through the mathematical poetry of mapping. Paulina Rowińska has created something really special, a book that celebrates the science and ideas behind the cartographic art with tales of everything fascinating, from criminal geography to ancient earthquake detectors. An essential guide that illuminates how much of our understanding of the world, the past, and indeed the people around us is shaped by the mathematician and the mapmaker. -- Edward Brooke-Hitching, author of <i>The Phantom Atlas</i> This book blew my mind, again and again. Paulina Rowińska covers an astonishing range of topics, from our brain to our planet, with personal stories and, yes, math, but she also scrutinizes the social and political impacts of maps on our lives. -- Roma Agrawal, author of <i>Nuts and Bolts</i> I love maps. I love math. And gosh, do I love this book, which so beautifully and clearly sounds the depths of both. -- Ben Orlin, author of <i>Math with Bad Drawings</i> A highly readable account of how mathematics and mapmaking have joined forces to inform not only our view of the world, but our view of ourselves. The historical insights and human stories bring the whole topic vividly to life. -- Ian Stewart, author of <i>What's the Use?</i> Paulina Rowińska spins a fascinating story about the development of maps and mathematics. It’s no exaggeration to say I learned something new on almost every page. -- Kit Yates, author of <i>The Math of Life and Death</i> Guides you elegantly, like a beautifully drawn map, through the fascinating stories behind centuries of mapmaking . . . Highly entertaining. -- Tim James, author of <i>Fundamental</i> A delightful journey into the mathematics of maps, globes, and world travel. Paulina Rowińska has a beautiful writing style and a wealth of important knowledge—she will keep you engaged on every page. -- Jo Boaler, author of <i>Limitless Mind</i> What an incredible book! I was completely blown away by the sheer depth and profound impact maps have on how we humans see things, find things, make decisions, and even play politics. Paulina Rowińska's storytelling is pure magic, effortlessly bringing to life the history, science, and mind-bending mathematics behind it all. This book is an absolute gem! -- James Tanton, Cofounder of the Global Math Project Opens our eyes to the use of ‘mapmaking’ in the broadest sense . . . If you have ever wondered why an airliner bound from London to Los Angeles flies over Greenland, how we know what lies inside the Earth, or how computers correct errors, then this is for you. I learned a lot. -- John Gribbin, author of <i>Six Impossible Things</i> Blends broad subject expertise, magical storytelling skills, and a splash of humor to ensure that the reader can joyfully navigate the mathematics of mapmaking. -- Bobby Seagull, author of <i>The Life-Changing Magic of Numbers</i> Tackles the connections between mathematics and maps with aplomb . . . Engaging, thought-provoking, and perfectly encapsulates much of the essence of mapmaking. -- Kenneth Field, author of <i>Cartography</i>

Author Information

Paulina Rowińska is a math communicator with a PhD in mathematics. Her 2017 TEDx talk “Let’s Have a Maths Party!” explained that mathematics is all around us. The recipient of the Imperial College President’s Award for Excellence in Societal Engagement, she creates interactive content for the educational website brilliant.org.

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