Mapping the World by Caroline and Martine Laffon, while not nearly as nice as the previous map books I’ve reviewed, is still a nice selection of maps.
8 out of 10 stars. This book also had some beautiful maps. One of my pet peeves is when beautiful historical photographs are enlarged and split across two pages. Much is lost in the translation and this book has lots of those. 🙁
Here were some of my favorites:
Ottoman Map of the Crusades, 17th century
Very rarely in history do the conquered get to make maps of the battle. This is an exception and a beautiful map it is.
Russia 1562 Abraham Ortelius
It’s hard to go wrong with any of the maps created by Abraham Ortelius. They are detailed, exceptionally accurate, and beautiful to behold. This one is of Russia.
Selenograph 17th Century Johannes Hevelius
Selenographs are maps of the Earth’s moon. This one is exceptionally beautiful and by Johannes Hevelius.
Tabula Orbis 1541 Laurentus Frisius
Tabula Orbis is Latin for “map of the world”. This one was obviously made long before anyone really knew the geography or extent of “new india” which was North America.
Theatre of the World 1606 Abraham Ortelius
This book had Abraham Ortelius’s map of the world dated 1606. It was actually made much earlier than that. 🙂 It’s still one of my favorite maps but you can see how the beauty is significantly detracted by the fold between the two pages. 🙁
8 out of 10 stars. I really gave this book 8 stars because it had maps that no other book has.
Reviewed by Jill.
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