The MAP, regardless of its medium or message, is always a creative interpretation of the space it aspires to represent.

Throughout history, maps have formed and continue to form the basis for shaping our perception of the world, as well as for understanding our position within it. However, beyond scientific tools, world maps are inevitably subjective and ideologically charged – closely linked to systems of power and authority at specific moments in time and places. Cartographers do not merely depict the world; they reconstruct it according to the perceptions of their era.

In this brilliant book, Jerry Brotton explores the significance of twelve maps – from the almost mystical representations of ancient history to contemporary satellite imagery. He brings to life the environments and conditions under which they were created, highlighting: how each of them conveys a very personal viewpoint of the world; how these maps influenced but also reflected their contemporary events; and how by reading them we can understand the worlds that produced them.

Though the way we map space changes, Brotton argues that maps today are neither more definitive nor more objective than their counterparts in the past, but that they define, shape, and represent the world.

THE BOOK THAT WILL FOREVER CHANGE THE WAY YOU VIEW MAPS.