Brilliant Maps for Curious Minds: 100 New Ways to See the World (Maps for Curious Minds)


Book Description

A singular atlas of 100 infographic maps from thought-provoking to flat-out fun. And don’t miss the next book in the series, North American Maps for Curious Minds! Publisher’s note: Brilliant Maps for Curious Minds was published in the UK under the title Brilliant Maps. Which countries don’t have rivers? Which ones have North Korean embassies? Who drives on the “wrong” side of the road? How many national economies are bigger than California’s? And where can you still find lions in the wild? You’ll learn answers to these questions and many more in Brilliant Maps for Curious Minds. This one-of-a-kind atlas is packed with eye-opening analysis (Which nations have had female leaders?), whimsical insight (Where can’t you find a McDonald’s?), and surprising connections that illuminate the contours of culture, history, and politics. Each of these 100 maps will change the way you see the world—and your place in it.




Brilliant Maps


Book Description




North American Maps for Curious Minds: 100 New Ways to See the Continent (Maps for Curious Minds)


Book Description

The Maps for Curious Minds series is back—with 100 vivid infographic maps that transform the way we understand the cultural and geographical wonders of North America No matter how well you think you know North America, the 100 infographic maps in this singular atlas uncover a trove of fresh wonders that make the continent seem like the center of the universe. Did you know that North America is where the first T. rex was found? Or that it’s where you can visit the world’s biggest geode as well as its oldest, tallest, and largest trees—not to mention the world’s tallest and steepest roller coasters?! Brimming with fascinating insight (Who is the highest-paid public employee in each state?) and whimsical discovery (Where can you visit the world’s largest island in a lake on an island in a lake on an island?), this book highlights the unexpected contours of geography, history, nature, politics, and culture, revealing new ways to see North America—and the hundreds of millions who call it home.




50 Maps of the World


Book Description

Discover the most awesome places on Earth. 50 Maps of the World is an essential addition to the bookshelf of any young travel lover, map maestro or geography genius. Geography, history and culture spill from the pages of this luxuriously illustrated treasure trove of travel knowledge for 7-to-10-year-olds. Each two-page spread is dedicated to a different country, providing both quick-fire facts and the chance to delve deeper into what makes every nation unique. Natural wonders, bustling metropolises, storied pasts and cultural icons are all presented in expert detail from experienced explorers Ben Handicott and Kalya Ryan, alongside Sol Linero’s eye-popping artwork. Meet our earliest ancestors in Ethiopia, marvel at Machu Picchu in Peru and visit the floating villages of Cambodia in this colourful guide to 50 fascinating countries. It’s a diverse guide that spans from Spain to Singapore, Colombia to Canada, Turkey to Tanzania, and more. Each spread includes dozens of spotlighted locations, a timeline of the nation’s history and introductions to the people who have helped shape it. With the expertise of Ben Handicott (Hello Atlas, Atlas of Adventures: Wonders of the World) and Kalya Ryan, alongside the stunning illustrations of Sol Linero (The 50 States, 50 Cities of the U.S.A.), experience the diversity of our world like never before. 50 Maps of the Worldreimagines what maps for kids can be, providing not just a geographical fact-fest but a vivid insight into the history, culture and wildlife that shape our living world. This is the perfect way for aspiring adventurers to find out more about all the exciting destinations around the world. This is a quirky, dynamic book of atlases that makes a perfect companion for holidays and during trip planning. Originally published in hardback under the title Our Wonderful World (2020). Also in the series: The 50 States, We Are the United States, 50 Cities of the U.S.A., Only in America, and many exciting, fun-filled activity books.




An Atlas of Countries That Don't Exist


Book Description

A “fascinating” journey to little-known and contested lands around the globe, from Tibet to the Isle of Man to Elgaland-Vargaland (Geographical Magazine). What is a country? Acclaimed travel writer and Oxford geography don Nick Middleton brings to life the origins and histories of fifty states that, lacking international recognition and United Nations membership, exist on the margins of legitimacy in the global order. From long-contested lands like Crimea and Tibet to lesser-known territories such as Africa’s last colony and a European republic that enjoyed independence for a single day, Middleton presents fascinating stories of shifting borders, visionary leaders, and “forgotten” peoples. “Engrossing . . . You’ll not find Middle-earth, Atlantis or Lilliput inside, but you will find something just as intriguing . . . sure to prompt discussions about what makes a country a ‘real country.’” —Seattle Times




How to Lie with Maps


Book Description

An updated edition of the “humorous, informative and perceptive” guide to how maps can lead us astray (Toronto Globe and Mail). An instant classic when first published in 1991, How to Lie with Maps revealed how the choices mapmakers make—consciously or unconsciously—mean that every map inevitably presents only one of many possible stories about the places it depicts. The principles Mark Monmonier outlined back then remain true today, despite significant technological changes in the making and use of maps. The introduction and spread of digital maps and mapping software, however, have added new wrinkles to the ever-evolving landscape of modern mapmaking. Fully updated for the digital age, this new edition of How to Lie with Maps examines the myriad ways that technology offers new opportunities for cartographic mischief, deception, and propaganda. While retaining the same brevity, range, and humor as its predecessors, this third edition includes significant updates throughout as well as new chapters on image maps, prohibitive cartography, and online maps. It also includes an expanded section of color images and an updated list of sources for further reading. Praise for previous editions of How to Lie with Maps “Will leave you much better defended against cheap atlases, shoddy journalism, unscrupulous advertisers, predatory special-interest groups, and others who may use or abuse maps at your expense.” —Christian Science Monitor




An Atlas of Extinct Countries


Book Description

"Prisoners of Geography meets Bill Bryson: a funny, fascinating, beautifully illustrated—and timely—history of countries that, for myriad and often ludicrous reasons, no longer exist. “Countries are just daft stories we tell each other. They’re all equally implausible once you get up close.” Countries die. Sometimes it’s murder, sometimes it’s by accident, and sometimes it’s because they were so ludicrous they didn’t deserve to exist in the first place. Occasionally they explode violently. A few slip away almost unnoticed. Often the cause of death is either “got too greedy” or “Napoleon turned up.” Now and then they just hold a referendum and vote themselves out of existence. This is an atlas of 48 nations that fell off the map. The polite way of writing an obituary is: dwell on the good bits, gloss over the embarrassing stuff. This book refuses to do so, because these dead nations are so full of schemers, racists, and con men that it’s impossible to skip the embarrassing stuff. Because of this – and because treating nation-states with too much reverence is the entire problem with pretty much everything – these accounts are not concerned with adding to the earnest flag saluting in the world, however nice some of the flags might be."




Maps Quiz Book


Book Description

Become the ultimate map reader with this quiz book for all ages.




Why?


Book Description

Astrophysicist and author Mario Livio investigates perhaps the most human of all our characteristics—curiosity—in this “lively, expert, and definitely not dumbed-down account” (Kirkus Reviews) as he explores our innate desire to know why. Experiments demonstrate that people are more distracted when they overhear a phone conversation—where they can know only one side of the dialogue—than when they overhear two people talking and know both sides. Why does half a conversation make us more curious than a whole conversation? “Have you ever wondered why we wonder why? Mario Livio has, and he takes you on a fascinating quest to understand the origin and mechanisms of our curiosity. I thoroughly recommend it.” (Adam Riess, Nobel Prize Winner in Physics, 2011). Curiosity is not only at the heart of mystery and suspense novels, it is also essential to other creative endeavors, from painting to sculpture to music. It is the principal driver of basic scientific research. Even so, there is still no definitive scientific consensus about why we humans are so curious, or about the mechanisms in our brain that are responsible for curiosity. In the ever-fascinating Why? Livio interviewed scientists in several fields to explore the nature of curiosity. He examined the lives of two of history’s most curious geniuses, Leonardo da Vinci and Richard Feynman. He also talked to people with boundless curiosity: a superstar rock guitarist who is also an astrophysicist; an astronaut with degrees in computer science, biology, literature, and medicine. What drives these people to be curious about so many subjects? An astrophysicist who has written about mathematics, biology, and now psychology and neuroscience, Livio has firsthand knowledge of his subject which he explores in a lucid, entertaining way that will captivate anyone who is curious about curiosity.