New Book Challenges Old Views

In the dynamic book, Seeing Through Maps: Many Ways To See The World, authors Denis Wood, Ward L. Kaiser, and Bob Abramms challenge the popular world-view by questioning a number of map images and the specific messages they communicate. Maps imply a truth, but that truth can be quite skewed depending on the viewpoint of the map creator. This book takes a hard look at truth by carefully inspecting some familiar, and not-so-familiar, map images and exploring their significance.

The normally staid world of geographers is unusually excited by this dramatic new approach to the meaning of images. Professor John H. Andrews of the Department of Geography at Trinity College (Dublin, Ireland) says the book is "compulsively readable…you discussed a number of projections I had known nothing about, and even succeeded in making some new points about Mercator."

Professor Tom Koch of the Department of Geography at UBC (Vancouver, BC, Canada) says " Seeing Through Maps is absolutely the best introduction available on map projections, their history and importance. The text weaves the theory and history of maps-at-large -- from mental maps to amateur work to high cartography -- into a seamless thematic whole.…erudite and invigorating… satisfying and illuminating…"

The Geographical Review calls it, "substance-packed…thought provoking without being complicated or convoluted."

Seeing Through Maps, however, extends beyond cartography. The book discusses how map projections provide information about countries, cultures, the world's peoples and their history. It also explains the principles and hidden messages contained in a number of unique maps and provocative images: Peters’ Equal Area Projection, Van Sant’s GeoSphere Map; Fuller’s Dymaxion Map; a Toronto-centered world map; Minard's map of Napoleon's march on Moscow; Petit's map of African slave trading routes; a global warming map; and some intriguing, mind-stretching maps with south on top.

"This [book] will encourage a spirited discussion of perceptions, world views, and the importance of…seeing things differently," says Government Training News. Ivor Miller (African Diaspora Studies, DePaul University) says it is "a beautiful study that prepares students to think using multiple perspectives." The book is suitable for social studies, global studies, and psychology courses in universities.

A companion DVD, Many Ways to See the World, will be available in July, 2006. It includes a 30 minute classroom film (suitable for junior high to adult), PowerPoint files, sample book chapters, MP3 audio files, as well as bonus footage and trailers.

Publication Date: July, 2006; $24.95 (152 pages) Order from www.odt.org or 1-800-736-1293.
Author interviews are available from ODT, Inc.
Access Chapter One on-line at: www.diversophy.com/Map_Chapter1.pdf

Request prepublication review copies from odtstore@odt.org

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