I’ve had the privilege to study many of the maps in Smithsonian Great Maps in some amount of detail in my university career. To have one book that ties those and other maps together in such a quick, visual way, that summarizes the main points and ideas around them is a real treasure.
“Maps help us to understand not only where we are but also how we relate to the world around us.” – inside dust jacket
It may seem of little consequence, but I love how beautiful Smithsonian’s Great Maps looks on my bookshelf. The textured paper dust jacket has hints of gold leaf on the map and in the lettering. The inside of the book is just as stunning, with full-colour illustrations, maps and sectioned areas showing details of the maps. Quotes about the significance of maps in general are sprinkled throughout the book, and sections like “in context” show the importance of the maps they correspond to in that period of history.
There are 55 of the most significant maps throughout history included in Smithsonian Great Maps. Besides an overview of the map, including the year it was created, size details, where it is currently located and author/illustrator (if known), there are detail images, and an “in context” section.
This will easily be a much-referenced book in my collection. As a visual learner, the large map illustrations in this book will really help me to understand the relationship between places over time. I was sent Smithsonian Great Maps from DK Canada to share my thoughts with you.
Want a quick tour of the book? Check out my video below:
