DK Smithsonian – The world's finest maps explored and explained.
From Ptolemy's world map to the Hereford's Mappa Mundi, through Mercator's map of the world to the latest maps of the Moon and Google Earth, Great Maps provides a fascinating overview of cartography through the ages.
Revealing the stories behind 55 historical maps by analyzing graphic close-ups, Great Maps also profiles key cartographers and explorers to look why each map was commissioned, who it was for and how they influenced navigation, propaganda, power, art, and politics.
“The greatest maps in history, collected in one fantastic book.” – Wired.com
“[A] visual treat…as much an art book as it is an archaeological history lesson as it is a collection of the world's most fascinating and significant maps.” – BoingBoing
Author Biography
Jerry Brotton is Professor of Renaissance Studies at Queen Mary College, University of London. He is the author of “Trading Territories: Mapping the Early Modern World” and “A History of the World in Twelve Maps.”