Maphead: Charting the Wide, Weird World of Geography Wonks

Until I read this book, I never knew the precise name for my affliction. It is "Cartophilia," literally the love of maps. After reading Maphead, I can honestly say that I cannot remember when I've so thoroughly enjoyed a book: entertaining, elucidating, chock-full of interesting map trivia, and funny to boot. Alas, cartophilia is not a widespread affliction. When I've tried to convey my enthusiasm for Maphead, all I received were blank stares and let's-change-the-subject comments ("Are you tired of this heat?"). So, who would enjoy this book? Well other mapheads for starters. I should state that Maphead is by no means a technical tome; it's just for fun. Given the lack of interest of the younger set in geospatial careers, maybe this is a good thing. The author's passion for maps is infectious; maybe we need to "infect" the next generation. The book is divided into 12 chapters that take their names, appropriately, from the world of maps, map making, and geography. "Benchmark" takes us on a tour of the geography and map division of the Library of Congress, "the largest map collection ever assembled in human history." The sheer numbers are staggering: 5.5 million maps and 80,000 atlases, with 60 to 80,000 maps being added to the collection yearly. Not surprisingly, the collection serves not just U.S. researchers but also the entire planet. One intriguing example: Japanese researchers arrived looking for an 1821 shogun-era map of their nation drawn by legendary surveyor Ino Tadataka, a map that their nation possessed only in fragments. To their pleasant surprise they found 207 of the original 214 map panels in the collection. After scanning them, the reproduction was assembled and put on display at the Nagoya baseball stadium where 35,000 Japanese lined up to view the historic map. Apparently cartophilia is a global phenomenon. Maphead isn't just an historical view of cartography. The chapter "Frontier" takes us to the new age of web mapping. The author describes the contributions of OpenStreetMap's "crisis mappers" and how lives were saved in Haiti when they used satellite imagery to map Port-au-Prince for relief teams. This review barely scratches the surface. There are chapters covering subjects such as geocaching, map collecting, the role of maps in fiction, and even a fascinating chapter providing an anthropological and neurobiological view on the subjects of maps, mapping, and spatial thinking. Pick up Maphead and you'll be in for a treat. When you're done, pass it on to the next generation.

Author Ken Jennings is not your average trivia nerd (see Ken Jennings's Trivia Almanac: 8,888 Questions in 365 Days) and Jeopardy! champion (see Brainiac: Adventures In The Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World Of Trivia Buffs). If you follow @kenjennings on Twitter, you know he's actually quite funny (to wit, "My kids think a turtle's shell is called a 'dammitdammits***' now thank you very much Mario Kart"). So, while you may imagine a book about maps would be a boring and difficult read, Jennings sprinkles enough humor throughout to change your mind. The book covers almost everything dealing with maps--human history of making them, present day collectors buying antique maps, fantasy authors creating fictional maps, the internet craze of geocaching, the future of maps thanks to Google Earth--but it is never boring. Jennings admits he was always into maps as a young child and explores what makes "Mapheads" tick. In a world where every smart phone comes with GPS software (right now I'm zoomed in and the GPS signal pins me within a 25' radius with the center of this dot mere feet away from my couch where I'm actually sitting!), maps are more in our lives than ever, but Jennings explores the fact that every few months there's another news report or Jaywalking segment featuring college students who don't know where Africa is on a map. A quick and fun read that covers wide swaths of topics, it's highly recommended for anyone who has wasted away hours looking at atlases or Google Earth, and still recommended for anyone curious about maps who enjoys well-written, self-deprecating humorous prose.

A quick and fun introduction to maps and people who love them. Jennings is a self-styled "maphead" who guides us personally on a journey to encounter individuals whose passions intersect with maps and geography. Chapters profile map-makers (including those of imaginary worlds), map collectors, geography bee whizzes, travel fanatics, geocaching enthusiasts, and others. Jennings has a witty, engaging style of writing--lots of pop culture references and occasional snark. But he's done his homework, and this isn't a mere breezy entertainment: the book covers a lot of ground and contains substantive analysis of spatial reasoning and cognition, map design, map use, and the impact of new technology on the field. The formula of this genre (e.g., Word Freak and Brainiac), in which the author's personal interest and immersion propels the narrative, can feel a bit routine at times. I understand that it provides the organizing thread for a discussion of wide-ranging sub-topics, but in some cases it can be mildly distracting. For me, the best insights came from Jennings's interviews with experts and his analysis of what he learned from them; hearing about his personal quest to find neighborhood geocaches was, on the whole, less compelling. My one other complaint is that, as others have noted, it would have been nice to have even more maps or other visuals. Still, this was an excellent read that captures the fascination that maps inspire in so many people. It's chock-full of intriguing tidbits and personalities. And, if you're like me, it will motivate you to pull out a map, re-subscribe to National Geographic, and appreciate the marvels of our finite but captivating world.

I really enjoyed the stories and facts laid out in the book. Any lover of geography and cartography will laugh through this enjoyable read.

Libro simpaticissimo Consigliato

A surprising read about a subject area of which I have zero interest, well written and reasonably absorbing, my van was broken into, this book had been left inside, for some reason known only to the thieving scum they discarded my half read book into a muddy puddle, I went out and bought another copy so I could finish reading, it was worth it….

I learned a lot more about the world in a fun, entertaining, and factual manner. Thank you, Ken!

Of course it’s “interesting and entertaining” for a very specific subset of readers, but if you are part of that subset it’s an entertaining book, full of interesting anecdotes and remarks, that suggests further exploration of the matter. The poetic ending is a very nice touch, too.

Well, I am. A map geek. Perhaps not on the level of Jennings but geeky enough. And the book is kind of a fever dream of maphead geekiness. But it's also funny, full of great insight into the meaning not just of maps but of geography, and also, perhaps, ultimately, about our sense of place. Meaning I've just told you a deep part of Jennings's own thesis: maps are incredibly human. And makes us even more human. Highly recommended.