Visions of the World: A History of Maps Jeremy Black

Visions of The World charts the exploration and mapping of our planet - from before the age of printing to modern satellite imaging, telling the stories of the cartographers, explorers, and surveyors who have mapped our world. The book takes a fresh look at the history of cartography, not limited to the traditional Eurocentric view, but exploring the world visions held by cultures from all around the globe. The history of mapmaking is also the history of how different societies have viewed themselves to the rest of the world. Early Chinese maps placed China at the centre of the world and made it by far the largest empire in the world. Simultaneously, Europeans mapmakers were placing Jerusalem at the centre of their maps, thus giving credence and intellectual justification for the crusades. Each map, therefore, acted as a reflection of the views of the society in which it was created as well as a view of the time in which it was produced. The age of the great explorers of the 15^th century, coupled with the momentous inventions that followed it, finally allowed the world to be viewed as it actually is. Visions of the World also explores the way maps have been used, either to distort knowledge, by surveyors who simply imagined the interiors of uncharted lands, or by warring nations to fool their enemies. They have also been used to build and administer empires, to show the world from different cultural and economic perspectives. And lately to map the rapidly changing physical face of the planet. With fascinating feature spreads on the key maps throughout history, and detailed discussions of their significance, Visions of the World is a refreshing and thought-provoking history of the world cartography. Jeremy Black is Professor of History at Exeter University. He has held numerous external appointments including Distinguished Visiting Lecturer at West Point, USA. He has lectured extensively in the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, and Denmark. He is the author of numerous titles including Maps and History, Maps and Politics, War for America: the fight for Independence, and Europe and the World 1650-1830. He is also the General Editor of The Dorling Kindersely Atlas of World History. Professor Black is a member of the editorial board for History Today magazine, and the journals International History Review, The Journal of Military History, and Media History.