Portrays the flowering of Islamic empires and influence and the transmission of Islamic culture for the last 500 years.

"From ancient Babylon to the Google age, the world has evolved rapidly along with the ways we see it. In this time, cartography has not only kept pace with, and reflected these changes, but has often driven them. In this beautiful book, over 70 maps give a visual representation of the history of the world."--Cover.

Acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Winchester illuminates the men who toiled fearlessly to discover, connect, and bond the citizenry and geography of the U.S.A. from its beginnings and ponders whether the historic work of uniting the States has succeeded, and to what degree. For more than two centuries, E pluribus unum-"Out of many, one"--Has been featured on America's official government seals and stamped on its currency. But what unified...

In the age of MapQuest and GPS, we take cartographic literacy for granted. We should not; the ability to find meaning in maps is the fruit of a long process of exposure and instruction. A "carto-coded" America--a nation in which maps are pervasive and meaningful--had to be created. The Social Life of Maps tracks American cartography's spectacular rise to its unprecedented cultural influence. Between 1750 and 1860, maps did more than communicate geographic...