Book Review
How to lie with Maps, Mark Monmonier (Second Eddition, 1996)
Mark Monmonier’s book titled how to lie with maps is a short, concise, informative but humorous guide to how map makers influence a map readers perspective on the world through subtle as well as obvious manipulation of the map itself and the input of elements.
He discusses his points through thirteen short chapters in which he effectively conveys his argument for why he believes ‘an accurate map must tell white lies’ in order to present a ‘useful picture.’ At the start of each chapter he outlines his points of discussion he then goes on to suggests the basic principals before supporting his idea through the use of interesting case studies and simple illustrations.
With a title as striking as Monmonier’s it would be difficult to argue that his book is anything except an in-depth explanation as to how maps lie through distortion. He begins by outlining the basics to cartography including how maps are
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Its aim is to inform the reader about how maps lie and decive and this book certainly does this. H. J. de Blij an author and geography professor from Michigan State University and the University of Miami, USA shows support for Monimers animated work suggesting that the book deals with ‘serious issues in a lively, often humerous [way, where] the maps you view henceforth will have new meaning’
Monmoniers second eddition of how to lie with maps was published in 1996, 5 years succeeding his first eddition. His second edition contains an additional two chapters; one which discusses the effect of culture and national interest specifically in terms of large-scale mapping in the US using examples from the Geological survey and the second which looks at the influence of technological advancement and the intergration of different media in influencing map