Maps have power--they can instruct, make life easier, mislead, or even lie. This engaging text provides the tools to read, analyze, and use any kind of map and assess its strengths and weaknesses.
Tyner has done it again--she has crafted an accessible book that makes reading about maps not only educational but fun! Here she convinces us that even as maps move from paper onto the Web and mobile devices, knowing how to use them and understanding how they work is as important as ever. By clearly differentiating map reading from map analysis, Tyner ably covers the concepts needed to become proficient in map interpretation and spatial thinking. This is a suitable text for introductory map and spatial analysis classes.--Ian Muehlenhaus, PhD, Department of Integrated Science and Technology, James Madison University "This is a broad-based introduction to map use, reading, and interpretation. While it could be read cover to cover, its strength is in providing concise, stand-alone descriptions and explanations of map types and mapping conventions that are sufficiently detailed without being overwhelming. Tyners expertise as an instructor is evident in her conversational discussions of highly technical and specialized topics; her style will put nonexpert readers quickly at ease as she does not rely on technical terms or jargon. World of Maps could be a recommended text for students who are interested in exploring maps and map use, and students in a wide variety of disciplines that incorporate spatial thinking, display, or analysis. It will also find a home in many college and university libraries as a go-to resource."--Jenny Marie Johnson, Maps and Geography Librarian and School of Earth, Society, and Environment, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign "Investigating whether maps are obsolete, Tyner makes a compelling case for the importance of maps in humankinds past and future and the need for increased cartographic literacy. She writes in a manner that is both entertaining and informative. The extensive bibliography and appendices will help make this book a treasured resource for geographic education. The level is suitable for those engaged in formal study of spatial techniques as well as for neocartographers."--Eugenie Rovai, PhD, Department of Geography and Planning, California State University, Chico-This is a concise introduction to a rich and complex topic, useful for an elementary map reading course. Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and general readers.--Choice Reviews, 5/1/2015
