A Cartographer's Christmas List

Those cartographers that have been especially nice this year may find that Santa has left them under the tree a copy of, Mapping the World.

The book is a collection of over 100 maps and other drawings spanning thousands of years of map making, from ancient maps etched on clay to the latest satellite images of the earth.

Arranged in chronological order, Mapping the World contains maps from libraries from around world, including the National Geographic Society, the Library of Congress, and the British Library. The pictures of these mapping masterpieces follow a brief introduction placing the maps in their historical context. The book also recognizes important mapmakers and maps of exceptional artistic quality or historical significance.

The book was compiled by Ralph E. Ehrenberg, former Chief of the Geography and Map Division of the Library of Congress, who also wrote the introductions.

If you're afriad you might not have made Santa's "nice" list. You can always use the button below and e-mail this page to your significant other. Perhaps they don't have as strict a standard as Santa.