Summary

Few people can resist the appeal of old maps, whether their interest is in history, geography, or beautiful cartography. Here we present 25 glorious examples, reproduced large-scale with magnified details. This thought-provoking collection features maps that record major and minor events; maps that have influenced and inspired; even maps that have deceived. Each gives a fascinating insight into the times in which it was created. Lez Smart tells the story behind each map and reflects on what it reveals about its makers and users, from the early cartographers to the Elizabethan explorers to the soldiers of the Second World War.