All over the Map: A Cartographic Odyssey

Mason and Miller, who run the All over the Map blog, aren't professional cartographers but journalists, and their stance as relative novices who love maps makes this book a wonder. In nine sections, including "Waterways," "Cities," and "Conflict and Crisis," they present the most remarkable and fascinating maps from ancient times to today. Some of the creations, such as maps in the opening section showing Mt. Everest and the course of the Mississippi over the past 6,000 years, are well known and included because of their creators' cartographic mastery. Other entries depict imaginary worlds such as Westeros from the TV show Game of Thrones, inner worlds such as the brain, and political realms including maps of poverty and of voting habits. The hundreds of creations vary from hand-painted early works to satellite images; in every case they are beautifully reproduced and accompanied by extensive details of the technical and artistic decisions involved.