The Men Who Mapped the World: The Treasures of Cartography

with removable historic maps 

Carlton publishers, 2011, hardcover, index, 96 pages, large format, condition: as new.

From the crude maps of ancient Babylon to the satellite-fueled precision of Google Maps, cartography has been both a record of dreams and  of discoveries. The Men Who Mapped the World is a beautifully illustrated and highly informative journey through these discoveries and dreams. Maps have played midwife to empires, helped win wars, and encouraged our species to venture beyond boundaries of space and time. Now that inspiring history is literally hands-on with 20 pull-out facsimiles of significant maps from the archives of the Royal Geographical Society!

This is a strange and magical book. You will learn more in the first 50 pages about so many disparate elements that you will want to read more. The book also incorporates envelopes of study. I'm not a big fan of that for either private or public use, but this is a rare book, one that deserves consideration as both gift and more. The chapters are organized around regions of influence and their time periods. However it neglects the crossover of the time periods and there is no follow up txt identified. Given the envelopes and reproductions that are here the book stands alone.