Fifty Maps and the Stories They Tell

The Bodleian Library's map collection is a treasure trove of cartographic delights spanning more than a thousand years. This book features highlights from the collection together with rare artifacts and some stunning examples from twenty-first-century map-makers. Lavishly illustrated throughout, the book showcases a rich array: from military maps, digital cartograms, decorative portolan charts, and maps of heaven and hell; to a Siberian sealskin map and a twelfth-century Arabic map of the Mediterranean; to J. R. R. Tolkien's cosmology of Middle-earth, C. S. Lewis's map of Narnia, and a tapestry map by contemporary artist Grayson Perry. Each map is accompanied by a narrative revealing the story behind its creation and the significance of its design. The chronological arrangement highlights how the science and practice of cartography has changed over time and how this evolution reflects political and social transformations from century to century.


Author: Jerry Brotton, Nick Millea
Publisher: Bodleian Library
Published: 11/15/2019
Pages: 144
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.20lbs
Size: 8.10h x 7.70w x 0.70d
ISBN13: 9781851245239
ISBN10: 1851245235
BISAC Categories:
- History | World | General
- Reference | Atlases, Gazetteers & Maps (see also Travel | Maps & Road At
- Technology & Engineering | Cartography

About the Author
Jerry Brotton is professor of Renaissance studies at Queen Mary University of London. Nick Millea is the Map Librarian at the Bodleian Library.