Great Maps

I had long been in search of such a book that describes Man's understanding of the World over the history of explorations. This book is just that. The print quality, too, is very good. Overall, a great masterpiece added to my collection of exotic collectibles!!

Books are a treasure..This collection and study of maps is more than a book and truly adds up to my treasures... It is a huge window to the history of man over civilisations.. Inspires me to go right back to school and study maps with more passion...My best buy of the decade..

"Maps.celestial, astrological, topographical, theological, spiritual, statistical, political, navigational, imaginative artisti, November 12, 2015This review is from: Great Maps (Dk Smithsonian) (Hardcover)A visual extravaganza, more for browsing than reading, this is a selection of maps from ancient times to the present day. Each has a short introductory blurb, then a couple of pages of close-ups of details, with explanatory notes.Medieval 'mappa mundi'; Ptomeny's amazingly recognisable map (150 CE) and others that are totally alien. More recent samples are that of the London Underground, Booth's map showing poverty in London and Arno Peters' 1973 attempt to design a world map to promote social equality (arguing that current maps showed developing nations to be smaller than they were.)I found this a fascinating and informative browse.

This is the reason there are bookshops. There you can browse and match your requirements with what you find on the shelf. I wanted a book full of great maps, whereas this is a book *about* great maps. It is a most frustrating book. The maps are not large enough: in general it is a one page map accompanied with a page of explanation opposite; or it is a "Visual Tour" of lots of small sections of map too small to read in detail with a magnifying glass.Indeed this phrase "Visual Tour" occurs as the headline on so many pages to make the phrase meaningless. Better would be to headline the subject of the "Visual Tour".I chose this book partly on the reputation of Dorling Kindersley's clear graphics. There are plenty of illustrations yes but perhaps they are too faithful to the dusty faded original, rather than being enhanced with modern software so that they can be read easily.I have found this book so annoying that I do not want it in the house. It really is a coffee table book, not for reading at all, but for glancing at for about 30 seconds and then commenting, "Aah that's nice isn't," before checking your phone messages.

Really nice book for anyone with a passing curiosity in the history of mapping. Good pictures too.

I really enjoyed this book. Perhaps helped by the fact that some of the maps are of areas I know. There is though plenty of interest for those who know a lot about cartography to those who know very little.

A beautiful book with some amazing illustrations and a good size for a coffee table read. If you're interested in maps at all this should be part of your collection. I found this much more interesting and well made than the 'Vargic's Miscellany of Curious Maps' that seems to be advertised alongside it.

A fantastic book. I bought it as a present for someone who is very much into maps. It was a great success