Awards

• Short-listed for Specsavers National Book Awards 2013 (UK)
• Short-listed for Waterstones Book of the Year 2012 (UK)
• Shortlisted for Specsavers National Book Awards: Magic 105.4 Popular Non-Fiction Book of the Year 2013.
• Shortlisted for Specsavers National Book Awards: Popular Non-Fiction Book of the Year 2013.
• Shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year 2012.

Overview

Maps fascinate us. They chart our understanding of the world and they log our progress, but above all they tell our stories. From the early sketches of philosophers and explorers through to Google Maps and beyond, Simon Garfield examines how maps both relate and realign our history.With a historical sweep ranging from Ptolemy to Twitter, Garfield explores the legendary, impassable (and non-existent) mountains of Kong, the role of cartography in combatting cholera, the 17th-century Dutch craze for Atlases, the Norse discovery of America, how a Venetian monk mapped the world from his cell and the Muppets' knack of instant map-travel. Along the way are pocket maps of dragons, Mars, murders and more. From the bestselling and widely-adored author of Just My Type, On The Map is a witty and irrepressible examination of where we've been, how we got there and where we're going.

Full Product Details

9781846685101

Table of Contents

Reviews

Garfield has a genius for being sparked to life by esoteric enthusiasm and charming readers with his delight. The Times A rollicking sweep through map history, packed with curiosities and written with verve Independent on Sunday Garfield allows his varied, expertly researched stories to speak for themselves, and in so doing helps us see that there are fewer things in life more useful, rewarding and beautiful than a map Daily Telegraph Garfield's genial prose twinkles with the delight of discovery -- Tom Hawker Wanderlust There couldn't be anyone better to write about our love of maps than Simon Garfield, who is a master at unearthing strange facts and mixing them with a lively personal narrative ... fascinating -- Giles Foden Conde Nast Traveller A stunning celebration of the cartographic. As one of the UK's leading contemporary polymaths, Garfield's always a joy to read for his gossamer-light show of rigorous learning, his shed-dweller precision in research and his infectious glee in passing on the golden nugget of fact. -- Robert Bound Monocle He takes us on a fascinating voyage ... and is a lively companion for the journey. -- Douglas Osler Scotsman He hops around the world, ancient and modern, with glee, dispensing information, both learned and chatty. On the Map is informative and entertaining, and good fun ... fascinating. -- John S Doyle Irish Times Beguiling ... Garfield is like the schoolteacher who made the time fly, a one-man Blue Peter team for intelligent adults, a great British explainer. -- Andrew Martin Observer Utterly charming and engrossing ... A thoroughly enjoyable guide to guides -- Sally Morris Daily Mail Simon Garfield has a gift for really making us think about things ... Wonderful -- William Leith Evening Standard Panoramic, erudite and enjoyable Independent

'Garfield has a genius for being sparked to life by esoteric enthusiasm and charming readers with his delight.' (Iain Finlayson, Times) 'Simon Garfield's new book is a rollicking sweep through map history, packed with curiosities and written with verve... a great book.' (Mark Wilson, Independent on Sunday) 'Garfield allows his varied, expertly researched stories to speak for themselves, and in so doing helps us see that there are fewer things in life more useful, rewarding and beautiful than a map that does what it's supposed to.' (David Clack, Daily Telegraph) 'Garfield's genial prose twinkles with the delight of discovery' (Tom Hawker, Wanderlust)

Author Information

Simon Garfield is the author of more than a dozen acclaimed books of non-fiction, including the international bestseller, Just My Type: A Book About Fonts, and a trilogy of edited diaries from the Mass Observation Archive, which includes the bestselling Our Hidden Lives. He lives in London and St Ives, with old maps lining the walls.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available