Bedford Public Library

A history of the world in twelve maps, Jerry Brotton

eng

Includes bibliographical references and index

mapsillustrationsplates

index present

non fiction

A history of the world in twelve maps

bibliography

Jerry Brotton

"In this masterful study, historian and cartography expert Jerry Brotton explores a dozen of history's most influential maps, from stone tablet to vibrant computer screen. Starting with Ptolemy, "father of modern geography," and ending with satellite cartography, A History of the World in 12 Maps brings maps from classical Greece, Renaissance Europe, and the Islamic and Buddhist worlds to life and reveals their influence on how we--literally--look at our present world. As Brotton shows, the long road to our present geographical reality was rife with controversy, manipulation, and special interests trumping science. Through the centuries maps have been wielded to promote any number of imperial, religious, and economic agendas, and have represented the idiosyncratic and uneasy fusion of science and subjectivity. Brotton also conjures the worlds that produced these notable works of cartography and tells the stories of those who created, used, and misused them for their own ends." -- Publisher

Introduction -- Science: Ptolemy's 'Geography,' c. AD 150 -- Exchange: Al-Idrīsī, AD 1154 -- Faith: Hereford 'Mappamundi,' c. 1300 -- Empire: Kangnido World Map, 1402 -- Discovery: Martin Waldseemüller, World Map, 1507 -- Globalism: Diogo Ribeiro, World Map, 1529 -- Toleration: Gerard Mercator, World Map, 1569 -- Money: Joan Blaeu, 'Atlas maior,' 1662 -- Nation: The Cassini Family, Map of France, 1793 -- Geopolitics: Halford Mackinder, 'The Geographical Pivot of History', 1904 -- Equality: The Peters Projection, 1973 -- Information: Google Earth, 2012 -- Conclusion: The eye of history?

History of the world in 12 maps