40 Maps That Will Change How You See the World by Alistair Bonnett

What is a map? It turns out there’s not one simple answer – this book will expand your understanding of what a map could and should be. It includes maps printed on paper and carved in rock, digital maps, a map made of sticks and shells, and maps in other unexpected formats too.

Author Alistair Bonnett points out that not all maps can be held or touched: when we give directions to a stranger, a map ‘can be spun in the air with your fingers’. Maps can depict not only geographical locations, but also different worldviews and life experiences.

Bonnett is a Professor of Geography at the University of Newcastle in England. He teamed up with cartographers (map-makers) and scientists to write this hard-cover book which he promises will – as the title suggests – change the way we see the world. Some of the maps are ancient, such as the map discovered on a Turkish wall that is estimated to be around 9,000 years old. Others are modern-day maps made possible by advances in computing power and satellite technology, including Global Positioning System (GPS) data, as well as improved medical knowledge. The maps cover both planet Earth and outer space (Mars and the Sun) and offer unique perspectives of our surroundings.

Bonnett reflects on our ongoing natural curiosity and hunger to learn more, which has been evident since the days of early explorers:

…the desire to know the world, to extend the imagination out, to other peoples and lands, is insatiable.

Bonnett suggests that the same map can be understood and used in different ways across decades and from one generation to the next. Some of the maps in his book remain open to further interpretation. He notes that early European maps “were more fairytale than science”, perhaps indicating one or more key features although largely useless from a practical point of view.

Although many of the early maps were based on speculation, most of the more recent maps rely on measurable data that may or may not be based on scientific evidence or established facts. Data used to create the maps in Bonnett’s book include decibel ratings (Map 22: Noise Map of Mexico City), recorded crimes and women’s perceptions of ‘safe places’ (Map 21: Walkability for Women in New York City), and conversations, walks and bike rides focusing on smells (Map 23: Summer Aromas of Newport, Rhode Island).

Bonnett is a good storyteller and although he’s an academic he writes for an everyday audience. Each map is followed by a couple of pages of information. Bonnett weaves interesting anecdotes with historical, environmental and political facts. He summarises what is known or not yet known about the logic and intent behind each map. He explains where and when the map was found, and its confirmed (or likely) date of development. To understand what certain images represent, he turned to experts in the field, including an authority on Aztec Art, an Antarctic researcher, and Harvard scientists. The text is supplemented by close-up images that reveal additional details within some maps, as well as the occasional photo. Bonnett includes references for people wanting to learn more about particular maps.

One of the most extraordinary maps in the book is of Shinjuku Station in Tokyo. It’s stunning not only because of its complexity – the station has at least 200 exits and 36 platforms – but also because the map is hand-drawn by an architect who prefers to use a pencil and a ballpoint pen rather than a computer.

Some of the maps are chilling, such as Map 34: Speculative Map Depicting Europe After 80-metre Rise in Sea Level. It shows what Europe would look like if the world’s ice melted and sea levels rose with alarming consequences.

Although the print quality is adequate, higher-resolution images would give the book more appeal and reveal more detail. Some of the maps have been poorly cropped so that information is hard to read (such as the key to the decibel ratings for Map 22), some maps disappear into the book’s gutter (the inner margin between two pages), and some of the text on particular maps is so tiny it is barely legible. Despite these flaws, this is an interesting book suitable for the whole family and the maps could trigger thought-provoking conversations.

Reviewer: Anne Kerslake Hendricks

Allen & Unwin