Cartographia: Mapping Civilizations
by Vincent Virga and The Library of Congress
Published by Hachette Book Group
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Reviewed by Peg Brantley
“X” marks the spot. Do you remember that? You knew you’d found treasure—or at the very least, an amazing secret waiting to be unearthed.
Cartographia is a treasure that is waiting for map and history lovers of all generations to discover. This beautiful work of art will hold your attention for hours as you look at maps drawn on paper, on wood, on stone, on figurines, and in tapestries. World maps, metaphorical maps, a map depicting a square earth and round heaven, maps on warfare, and the Oregon Trail. From ancient maps to one of the human genome, they’re all contained within the pages of this book.
The text brings history alive and helps to develop an understanding of the psychology and culture behind the creation of these charted representations.
Vincent Virga, “America’s foremost picture editor,” is well known in history circles. Collaborating with The Library of Congress (where more than five million maps reside), he has put together an awesome book illuminating the diversity of people who populate our planet. Not only their different geographic landscapes, but also their cultural and social visions of the world and how those ideas have changed over time are represented. From Africa to the Netherlands, China to Ireland, Christianity, Judaism, Islam…you will receive a sense of human attitudes and ideas thoughtfully portrayed in the permanent form of maps.
If you ever get a thrill finding your destination, reading the map key to open the mysteries before you, or locating your house on Google Earth, Cartographia will captivate you.
If you know someone these emotions apply to, don’t let them miss this book.
“X” marks the spot. You can find it in Cartographia.
Armchair Interviews says: Map lovers of the world, unite.