"A richly illustrated exploration of maps and mapmaking, Cartographia celebrates the work of those who have mapped the world from the dawn of civilization to the present. In a text that journeys beyond the basic geographical facts, each map becomes a visual record of human endeavor-ofdiverse cultural, social, and economic landscapes - and each has a tale of wonder to tell. These maps, in their amazingly various forms, are models of time, diaries of...

Uses photographs, maps, illustrations, posters, manuscripts, letters, and other treasures in the Special Collections of the Library of Congress to document the history of the United States from 1492 through the late twentieth century, and includes seven essays of historical commentary.