The Library of Lost Maps

A magnificent book that sings of the romance and mystery that only old maps possess. Wandering The Library of Lost Maps, I didn’t want to find my way back – Edward Brooke-Hitching, author of THE PHANTOM ATLASDigging into the dusty archives of an old map library at UCL, James Cheshire unearths stories of explorers and imagined landscapes, WWII intrigue, geopolitics and social change - in this astonishingly fresh and insightful perspective into history and biography. A triumph – Professor Alice Roberts, broadcaster and author of CRYPTThis exquisite volume from geographer Cheshire shares hidden treasures contained within the University College London’s Map Library…an enlightening and lovingly presented tribute to the necessity and wonder of libraries and archives * Publishers Weekly *Beautifully illustrated … The Library of Lost Maps collects and presents some of the great maps of the past for leisurely perusal – Michael O’Donnell * Wall Street Journal *[A] handsomely illustrated study of mapmaking … [Cheshire] is an infectious guide, tracing how maps evolved from hand-tinted curiosities to instruments of science, propaganda and power … A concise and engrossing study of cartographers’ urge to make the world behave * Kirkus Reviews *From great discoveries to terrible atrocities, maps are responsible for more than you might think. This book, based on an overlooked archive of incredible maps, brings history and cartography together in a wonderful way * All About History *A great map library can be a wondrous thing to behold, as James Cheshire’s engaging, deeply satisfying and elegantly designed book relates…Wisely, Cheshire avoids nostalgia in his enthusiastic trawl through this half-forgotten collection … Instead, writing as a consummate educator, he either tells stories specifically relevant to a sheet that he finds – Simon Winchester * Spectator *

James Cheshire is Britain’s only Professor of Geographic Information and Cartography. A world-leading map maker, his cartographic creations have been enjoyed by millions. He is an elected fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and has been recognised with many prestigious awards from the likes of the Royal Geographical Society and the British Cartographic Society. His co-authored book Atlas of the Invisible won the American Association of Geographer’s Globe Award. When he is not making, writing about, or teaching with maps, James spends his time scouring eBay for them in the hope that one day he’ll have a map library of his own.