Idea Mapping: How to Access Your Hidden Brain Power, Learn Faster, Remember More, and Achieve Success in Business

Book Description

Praise for Idea Mapping

"Nast's work in Idea Mapping enables those with creative minds to clearly lay out their thinking process and those who are more process-minded to become creative. If your organization is looking for a pragmatic, step-by-step guide to idea mapping, this is it."
--Chris Brown, Executive Vice President, DTE Energy Resources

"I have used idea maps for thirty years and have taught MBA students, employees, and my children how to harness their power. I strongly recommend this book and believe you will feel it to be one of the best investments you have ever made in your own growth."
--Stephen C. Lundin, coauthor, FISH!

"This is a book that everyone should read. It's an interactive, thought-provoking book about the brain and learning that will expand your mind. Nast, an accomplished and well-respected instructor, has guided me into a new realm of learning experiences and possibilities. I'm sure you will feel the same upon reading her insightful work."
--Simon Tai, CEO, Buzan Centre Taiwan and S&J Media Intergration Co. Ltd., Host of News Discovery on NEWS 98 Taiwan

"Nast shows you a revolutionary method to capture your thinking processes. Don't underestimate the simplicity of idea mapping because therein lies its genius."
--Scott Hagwood, four-time USA Memory Champion, author, Memory Power

"The ability to visually capture and organize thoughts and ideas has enabled millions of people around the world to do their work with greater creativity and productivity, run their businesses more strategically, and manage complex projects more efficiently--even map out a sales process or new product roll-out. Nast's very practical, readable book will get you quickly up to speed on one of the simplest but most powerful ways to organize your ideas, your work, and yourself."
--Mike Jetter, cofounder and CTO, Mindjet Corporation, coauthor, The Cancer Code

"The principles Nast writes about in Idea Mapping have become a staple for me over the past fourteen years. I was turned onto the concept of idea mapping in 1992 and have been a student and practitioner ever since. This has absolutely transformed the way I learn, design learning, and prepare for public speaking. I have never been more confident in my recall, knowing the content is nicely tucked away in my brain as it was designed to be. Get ready for a life-changing experience for yourself and those you influence."
--Will Flora, Senior Manager, Chick-Fil-A University, Atlanta, GA

Customer Reviews:

1 Map Vs. 50 Pages... I'll take 1 Visually Appealing Map.......2007-08-22

I've been impressed by Jamie Nast and her philosophy of Idea Mapping. I especially like the concept that you can put a complex idea on one page, and Jamie is running with it. I don't know about you, but I'd rather see a business plan on one gorgeous map than 50 droning pages. I'm also happy that Jamie considers software a legitimate venue for mapping (I especially like MindManager, which Jamie endorses at her website). A resource idea mappers at all levels need to checkout.

Should be common knowledge for learners and workers........2007-07-30

Giving the book five stars because I didn't already know everything the book tells you, but feel like I should have. A pretty light read and, I would say, on a 6th grade reading level, but all of the concepts in the book should have been explained to me by teachers in my secondary education.

I have to assimilate volumes of information, and mapping the info out in the manner taught by this book is the perfect way to do it. This use of the technique is only one of the applications described in the book.

Help Put Some Colour Back into the Workplace - and Your Life.......2007-06-08

This is a most accessible book. Almost by stealth, it introduces people to a very powerful personal and business tool. Idea mapping can help put the fun and creativity back into work - and open your mind to a technique to access ideas you didn't know you had.

The book takes an evolutionary approach to teaching mapping. Concepts and rules are introduced, examples given and lessons reinforced - then on to the next concept. Happily it's in plain English, with no business consultant-speak, and is easy to read and comprehend. Rules are introduced at the beginning to help the novice get started - later on these are overturned as experts are encouraged to be flexible and take account of the situations they are in and the purpose of their maps.

The focus is very much on business applications of the tool. Guidance is given on how to approach creativity, strategy definition, planning, preparation for presentations, planning and drafting articles and papers, organising your schedule and even 1-1 meetings with staff.

One of the most powerful applications of idea mapping is in learning and memorising information, books and manuals - whether simply to help retain more for day-day application or for passing professional exams or achieving certification. Maps provide visual clues to aid memory and readers are encouraged to embelish their maps with colour and images to enhance retention and recall.

What really makes the difference here is the inclusion of many real life examples. These are not dusty academic references but actual maps produced by real people to help them achieve more in real life business situations. More examples can be found on the author's website - extending the value of the book.

One of the recurring themes throughout is to consider the purpose of a map before you start it. Often maps will be fast and furious scribbles by way of an instant brainstorm, such as last minute preparation for an imminent meeting. At other times they will be developed with care, full of colour and images, as an aid to learning and recall.

Jamie Nast also introduces us to situations where maps need to be refined, developed and shared - and for which mapping software is a must. Advice is given on how to choose your software, the benefits and concerns and when and how to use.

Elsewhere in the book Jamie also explains how teams can use mapping collaboratively. A software tool is invaluable for such work. As a professional facilitator, I use software idea mapping with my groups. The map is projected onto a wall and ideas are captured, reviewed, restructured and so on interactively until the group are happy. Because the map is captured electronically it can be distributed immediately after the session as a map or exported into a text file, presentation or project plan.

Jamie also gives us a tool to help with group brainstorming. If you have caught the increasing number of articles on 'why brainstorming does not work', you'll know that getting every person to shout out every idea they have is unrealistic. Idea mapping offers a perfect solution where the brainstorm begins with individuals getting their thoughts down on paper before sharing with the group.

As mentioned earlier, idea mapping puts mind mapping firmly in the realm of business. In addition to being a tool to help organisations and teams, it is also a personal tool which managers use to identify and review their personal goals, manage their schedules and prepare their individual plans and presentations. Many of us are becoming increasingly aware of the inter-relationship between work and the rest of our lives (Doh!). There are examples given in the book of how people have assessed their careers and life goals using these techniques.

This book offers real encouragement to people to try the technique and access the creativity and fun they could experience in even the crustiest of workplaces. It's easy to learn following Jamie's well thought out step-by-step guide. Inspiration is offered by the many real life examples included - all of which can be viewed in colour on Jamie's web site. I have come across people at work who have seen mind mapping as something to be used by creative, clever people. You don't have to be clever to use idea mapping but you might become so if you do.

Very little substance.......2007-04-29

This book is yet another example of 15 pages worth of substance spread over 240 pages of fluff. A person would be much better served downloading the trial version of "Mindmanager" software and just following the included tutorial. It will teach you everything this book has to offer in a fraction of the time.

A Very Helpful Book.......2007-02-15

I love this book. It has helped me with my to do lists, teaching classes, taking notes on lectures and with helping my children to study. In my teaching; it has allowed me to keep my notes on one page and then to see the transitions more clearly. When questions are asked I can quickly find my place and give precise answers without flipping through pages of notes. My oldest daughter was struggling with science, but with idea mapping techniques she is able to use her creativeness to map out her study notes and has had more success with her testing. When taking notes on a lecture, I find that I can remember the speaker's points much better than the traditional outline method because it's mapped out in pictures and words.
I really enjoyed the book because the author has the reader participate in each chapter, so by the end of the book you are able to make good idea maps and rarely have to review the book.
What I have learned is a life enhancing skill that I use at work (fleshing out new projects or by doing my performance reviews)and my personal life (helping my children study, teaching, studying my Bible or by mapping "to do" lists).
The book is great; if you participate you will learn. I use idea mapping every day and I believe I am even more creative because of it.
Although I do not use the software suggested in the book, one day I may give it a try when drawing my own idea maps becomes a little tiring or less useful. But that may be well into the future because for now I'm having the best time drawing them out myself.

Maps to Ecstasy: The Healing Power of Movement

Average customer rating:

Essential maps for those who dare trek the terrain of the soul
Finding Rhythm for Healing
Healing Artist
Wonderful and inspiring!
A constant inspiration!

Maps to Ecstasy: The Healing Power of Movement
Roth & Louden
Manufacturer: New World Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Creativity | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1577310454

Customer Reviews:

Essential maps for those who dare trek the terrain of the soul.......2006-11-30

I loved reading Roth's Sweat Your Prayers and Connections. I've danced like a wild woman to her music. Now I find Maps to Ecstasy to be filled with guidance for my inner journey and how to live my everyday life in the world. I'm ordering two copies for Christmas presents. For my daughter-in-law, who is a young mother, I want to share how Roth understands and honors motherhood with rare honesty. For my massage therapist daughter-in-law, I want to share Roth's perspective (and background) of massage as a spiritual art. If they only read those chapters, Roth will have touched their lives in very profound ways. This book is full of treasures for all who intentionally journey within.

Finding Rhythm for Healing.......2001-12-24

Having read her first book, I was interested as to where the second book would take this. In this book, Ms. Roth extends her Five Rhythms to be included as part of everyday life.

This is a natural progression, and Ms. Roth draws parallels to include similar patterns. She discusses the Cycles of Life - Birth, Childhood, Puberty, Maturity and the Death, in which we can see these rhythms and the progressions. Life does indeed have a rhythm to it and she sees these as the "dance of life in five movements". The final step to this dance is healing, a bringing about of the oneness of ones self. This is done by embodying the spirit through the five levels of consciousness: inertia, inspiration, imitation, intuition and imagination. This is her path to ecstasy. She finds dance and life has a map we can follow and find the spiritual ecstasy we all seek in our lives.

Her method of writing, incorporating her own personal life rhythms and experiences and her insightful observations make this book a wonderful and easy read. We can always learn from other people's experiences and Ms. Roth weaves this well. Her days working at Esalan enabled Ms. Roth to put together her then acquired skills, tune them, put them into practical use and give us the final product here in this book.

She shows how these rhythms are present in each persons life and can be applied to our personal self healing, attunement, stress relief, personal relationships and general health and well being.

I enjoyed this book and found Ms. Roth's insightful self-questioning and personal exploration a path that can be incorporated into each person's life, as a whole or with partial application. It definitely left me thinking upon things I have since considered and seek to explore further.

Both books here are complimented by her music and she also has an instructional video "The Wave" as a visual aid to her work. You need not have magic dancing toes or be a rhythmic person to apply any of this. All you need is the ability to move.

Healing Artist.......2001-04-21

Gabrielle Roth's book defies being categorized. I took one of her workshops years ago and was stunned at how well she got us to the heart of things. In her writing, as in person, she stands in stark contrast to most "self-help gurus" out there: She seems to have chosen consciously to speak her truth rather than "expertize" herself.

By doing that, she embodies the message that the rewards to which she wants to lead her readers (ecstasy) is a human birthright. That stance is admirable when compared with those who suggest implicitly or explicitly that their degrees, years of accredited study, association with high-prestige teachers, and other marks of status somehow qualify them to lay out for others a path towards "self-improvement."

Wonderful and inspiring!.......1999-06-26

"This is a wonderful and inspiring book that can lead people to a new level of understanding and give them the courage to follow thier dreams." - Lynn Andrews, author, - "Medicine Woman"

A constant inspiration!.......1999-06-26

"I love Gabrielle's unique, poetic, down-home, funky style. She has been a constant inspiration to us creative people around the world. "Maps to Ecstasy" opens the door to living an ecstatic life." - Margot Anand, author - "The Art of Everyday Ecstasy"

Contemporary's Number Power 5: Graphs, Tables, Schedules and Maps (Number Power Series)

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Graphs, Tables, Schedules and Maps Students Can Understand!
A super, no-nonsense resource for competency exam study!

Contemporary's Number Power 5: Graphs, Tables, Schedules and Maps (Number Power Series)
Robert Mitchell , and Donald Prickel
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill/Contemporary
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mathematics | Science | Subjects | Books

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Mathematics | Science & Technology | Teens | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0809223813

Book Description

Number Power Series (Revised) The first choice for those who want to develop and improve their math skills. Every Number Power book targets a particular set of math skills with straightforward explanations, easy-to-follow, step-by-step instruction, real-life examples, and extensive reinforcement exercises. Use these texts across the full scope of the basic math curriculum, from whole numbers to pre-algebra and geometry. NUMBER POWER 5: GRAPHS, CHARTS, SCHEDULES, AND MAPS Increases students' ability to understand and use all types of visuals and graphics.

Customer Reviews:

Graphs, Tables, Schedules and Maps Students Can Understand!.......2000-04-10

Graphs, Tables, Schedules and Maps Students Can Understand!

I am a high school special education/alternative education teacher in Oregon, working with special needs youngsters. Contemporary's "Number Power 5: Graphs, Tables, Schedules and Maps" by Bob Mitchell gives the clear instruction and practice necessary for students to obtain the relevant information from graphs, tables, schedules and maps. The book is an excellent resource for students as a basic life skill or as preparation for the GED and SAT tests. An invaluable resource!

"Number Power 5: Graphs, Tables, Schedules and Maps" uses relevant and real life applications and examples that students will find engaging. The pages in this worksheet format booklet are laid out clearly, very clearly, and are easy for the student to negotiate.

"Number Power 5: Graphs, Tables, Schedules and Maps" gives the student plenty and frequent opportunity for them to check their understanding. This is one of the strengths that sets "Number Power 5: Graphs, Tables, Schedules and Maps" apart from other textbooks. Here, students don't have to suffer through pages and pages of instruction before their comprehension is tested. Students will find the book engaging, trust me.

I recommend "Number Power 5: Graphs, Tables, Schedules and Maps" without reservation! A great bargain for the price.

-John Bain

A super, no-nonsense resource for competency exam study!.......1999-11-09

As with the other books in this series by Contempoary Books, Book #5 gets right to the point to help struggling students in extracting information and interpreting graphs, schedules, tables, etc. An excellent resource for Special Education or competency education programs. Well worth the money.

The Art of the Garden: Collecting Antique Botanical Prints

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A beautiful book about an undervalued area of collecting.
Beautiful Prints
Fabulous

The Art of the Garden: Collecting Antique Botanical Prints
Denise DeLaurentis , and Hollie Powers Holt
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Still Life | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0764324071

Customer Reviews:

A beautiful book about an undervalued area of collecting........2007-08-01

The Art of the Garden... introduces the beginning enthusiast to the wonderful world of antique flower prints and is an essential addition to the library of the established collector of botanical art.

The gorgeously illustrated book documents the magnificent flower prints produced by notable artists of the 17th through the turn of the 20th centuries. These celebrated artists include Basil Besler, Maria Sybilla Merian, Mark Catesby, Georg Ehert, George Brookshaw, Robert John Thornton, Pierre Joseph Redoutè, and many others.

Illustrated with over 300 full-color images of original and valuable botanical prints, this book fills a void in the literature, as few good botanical references remain in print.

The text recounts the fascinating lives and passions of the artists and their patrons, the technical advances in printmaking, and the discoveries and cultural influences that shaped the depiction of flowers, plants, and trees. Also discussed are many variables affecting the values of original antique botanical prints including condition, rarity, historical significance, and aesthetic appeal. A range of prices is included to guide you in your collecting and a section on framing, displaying, and proper storage makes this an indispensable reference. A fascinating book for collectors of botanical prints, gardeners, and those interested in the history of flowers.

Beautiful Prints.......2007-06-10

Some of the most beautiful AND important antique flower prints are reproduced in full color in this book. I was amazed at the amount of knowledge and history detailed so elegantly. The authors include even more artist information on their site. Fineantiqueprintsdotcom has striking images and examples. This book is an excellent reference.

Fabulous.......2007-01-06

This book is well written. Straight forward, informative and intersting. The reproductions of the botanical prints are stunning. The book is super reference for both the novice as well as the more experienced collector. A joy to read.

The Atlas of African-American History and Politics: From the Slave Trade to Modern Times

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Great Too
Great Reference Guide
At Last, a True African-American Atlas
At Last, a True African-American Atlas

The Atlas of African-American History and Politics: From the Slave Trade to Modern Times
Arwin D Smallwood , and Jeffrey M Elliot
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0070584362

Book Description

THE ATLAS OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY AND POLITICS consists of more than 150 originally produced maps which trace the African experience throughout the world and in America. The volume traces the complete history of African-Americans and their lives, employing artfully-conceived maps, and enhanced by sharply-written historic narratives, graphically reinforcing the facts. This work is appropriate for courses in African American history and American history where instructors would like to integrate African American history into their curricula.

Customer Reviews:

Great Too.......2007-03-14

The delivery came even before the due date and I think that was super-excellent. Keep it up.

Great Reference Guide.......2001-02-01

Excellent, informative reference guide. Clear and concise information. A must for your library!

At Last, a True African-American Atlas.......2001-01-27

This is the type of African-American history book I have been searching for! The Atlas of African-American History and Politics offers not only a detailed chronilogical narrative of the African-American's history from slavery to today, but also clean-crisp visuals to clarify. You will learn and see the actual routes that were taken during slave trades. Not only is this book great for African-American study courses, but every household in America should have a copy of this easy read, yet informative atlas.

At Last, a True African-American Atlas.......2001-01-27

Average customer rating:

Somebody get this man an editor! Quick!
Excellent Writing, Profound Insights
Poor writing, shallow thinking
... the heights!
Dot Dot Dot

The Power of Maps
Denis Wood
Manufacturer: The Guilford Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Human Geography | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

World | Atlases & Maps | Reference | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0898624932

Book Description

This volume ventures into terrain where even the most sophisticated map fails to lead--through the mapmaker's bias. Denis Wood shows how maps are not impartial reference objects, but rather instruments of communication, persuasion, and power. Like paintings, they express a point of view. By connecting us to a reality that could not exist in the absence of maps--a world of property lines and voting rights, taxation districts and enterprise zones--they embody and project the interests of their creators. Sampling the scope of maps available today, illustrations include Peter Gould's AIDS map, Tom Van Sant's map of the earth, U.S. Geological Survey maps, and a child's drawing of the world. THE POWER OF MAPS was published in conjunction with an exhibition at the Cooper Hewitt Museum, the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Design.

Customer Reviews:

Somebody get this man an editor! Quick!.......2006-11-07

I bought Wood's more recent book on maps (Seeing Through Maps: Many Ways to See the World) through amazon, and was somewhat disappointed (see my review there). So, this time around, I decided to get this book from my public library (yay for public libraries!). Boy am I glad I did! (Because I would have kicked myself if I had paid money for this one.) It appears that this book was later condensed to provide much of the material for "Seeing Through Maps...".

I can agree with most of what other reviewers have said about this book: The Ferris-Bueller moments (what an apt description!) caused by excessive use of ellipsis, the use of drawings by a three-year-old (literally) on many pages, the post-modernist over-intellectualized ramblings that tend to detract from what are perfectly valid and interesting points: the people in power really *do* draw the maps, and maps *do* give some people power (and take it away from others) by manipulating our conception of the world.

It's too bad that someone didn't reign the author in, in both of those books. He's really his own worst enemy. The writing is rambling and repetitive: you find yourself muttering "OK! OK! I *get* it! Can we move ON please!". With apologies to Blaise Pascal, it seems if the author had had more time, he could have written a shorter book.

I think it's really a shame that both books lack even a single colour plate, since maps possess beauty in addition to power, but perhaps it was appropriate to de-emphasize the beauty and focus on the power for the purposes of this book. Prospective readers should know that the "power" referred to in the title is of an ethereal, intellectual kind, that is perceived in the mind, not in the eyes.

Excellent Writing, Profound Insights.......2004-09-08

This is one of those books that come around all too infrequently that make us see the world differently. Those content with a limited view may not fully appreciate the depth of this book's insights. The prose simply soars beyond what one would expect from an academic subject...which makes it thrilling to read. Denis Wood's are not for the lazy or the closed-minded. They are, indeed, masterful.

Poor writing, shallow thinking.......2003-05-09

For those who simply like maps, here is a quick response to "The Power of Maps": DO NOT bother reading this book! The writing is poor. The book is riddled with errors (the chapter on Tom Van Sant's beautiful, global satellite image map is particularly bad in this regard). Very few actual maps are included, and they are reprinted in an ugly, unreadable small black & white format. Worst of all, the author doesn't really have anything to say about the power OR beauty of maps, or about what makes a map elegant, eloquent, or useful.

Like so many ivory-tower deconstructionists, Wood's primary focus seems to be on the manipulation of language as a weapon against his own subject - in this case, cartography. As one who loves maps, and works with them professionally, I wouldn't have thought it would be possible to write about them in such an insipid, uninteresting, and unenlightening way. Don't waste your time or your money on this book!

... the heights!.......2002-05-12

If you want the history of cartography or an explanation of its technicalities, this is not the book for you. If you want to see more clearly the human landscape in which maps are embedded and the human activities for which maps are constructed, this IS the book for you! Brilliant and fun and informative reading for cartographers and laymen. Denis Wood shows how maps represent societies as much as topographies. Grab your topo for rafting trip through time and place!

Dot Dot Dot.......2001-05-30

In addition to the other points raised by the reviewers, I'd like to add that the editor should be taken out and ... forced to say 'dot dot dot' every time there's an ellipsis.

The ellipsis is used inappropriately too. It's used as a long pause as if the professor is leading the class in discussion and saying 'anyone? anyone? Bueller?' at the end of the paragraph.

Book Description

Why is Europe at the top half of maps and Africa at the bottom? Although we are accustomed to that convention, it is, in fact, a politically motivated, almost entirely subjective way of depicting a ball spinning in space. As The Power of Projections teaches us, maps do not portray reality, only interpretations of it. To begin with, they are two-dimensional projections of a three-dimensional, spherical Earth. Add to that the fact that every map is made for a purpose and its design tends to reflect that purpose. Finally, a map is often a psychological projection of the historical, political, and cultural values of the cartographer--or of the nation, person or organization for which the map was created. In this fascinating book, Klinghoffer examines the world perceptions of various civilizations and the ways in which maps have been formulated to serve the agendas of cartographers and their patrons. He analyzes the recent decline of sovereignty, the spread of globalization, the reassertion of ethnic identity, and how these trends affect contemporary mapmaking.

The Destiny Map: Part 1 of the Relics of Power Trilogy (Torg)

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The Destiny Map: Part 1 of the Relics of Power Trilogy (Torg)

Manufacturer: West End Games
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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The Forever City (TORG Roleplaying Game, Relics Of Power, Vol. 3)

ASIN: 0874313090

Product Description

This adventure can be played by itself or as the first part of The Relics of Power. Introduces players and gamemasters to the Torg universe, where realities overlap and anything is possible. Up to 6 players and gamemaster. You need Torg boxed game to run this adventure.

Seeing Through Maps: The Power of Images to Shape Our World View

Average customer rating:

A young adult's primer in epistemic anarchy, with maps
Map Apreciation
Highly recommended for libraries
Seeing Through Maps

Seeing Through Maps: The Power of Images to Shape Our World View
Ward Kaiser , and Denis Wood
Manufacturer: O D T Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1931057001

Book Description

This NEW book explains the principles behind the Peters Projection and a dozen other unique maps and provocative images. Its got over 70 illustrations: Van Sant, Fuller Dymaxion, a Toronto-centered equidistant map of the world, even Minard's map of Napoleon's march on Moscow, and routes of African Slave Trading (Petit's African Diaspora map). We've reproduced a redrawing of Mercator's original world map (unavailable since the 1950's) and have the first authorized publication of the original McArthur Universal Corrective projection. It a book designed to reveal the "hidden agendas" of maps.

BUT its a book about far more than cartography -- it shows how we can understand the world, and each other, much more fully if we're willing to see things from a number of DIFFERENT perspectives. Map projections are used as a metaphor for seeing the world from different points of view (other countries, other cultures, other peoples and other times).

Customer Reviews:

A young adult's primer in epistemic anarchy, with maps.......2006-12-12

I still remember the first time I saw the McArthur's Universal Corrective Map of the World, the "upside-down" map with Australia at its center. It was 15 or so years ago, in a down-under exhibit at Brookfield Zoo. The experience of seeing "north" and "south" disconnected from their habitual, yet arbitrary, association with "up" and "down" was at once discomfitting and exhilating. I saw THROUGH the map, and grokked one assumption upon which standard Mercator projection was based.

A textbook of sorts, this was apparently written for bright junior high and high school students. The book's ambivalent title, Seeing Through Maps, is apt because the book is about both seeing through (i.e., USING) maps and seeing THROUGH the map itself to the assumptions that frame it. "Understanding that every map is a projection that gives up some aspect of global reality in order to present what it shows---and that is otherwise endlessly selective---should free you to see through the connotations to the denotative maps that support them. And so in turn be able to scrutinize the connotations. Understanding that every map has a point of view and serves a purpose should free you to take the point of view that serves your interest." (p. 79)

Yet for all this talk about maps, the book is not a study in the practice of cartography. Rather, it is an exploration of the practice of representation in general, an exploration which can evoke profound cognitive dissonance. Consequently, the book also exhorts the reader to adapt a sense of "model agnosticism" when it comes to using maps/metaphors/representations, because no single perspective or position can be total or comprehensive, by definition. The authors repeatedly expound on this main theme of the book:

"Each view excludes another. Because each view has its own value, each may be required to serve one purpose or another. But the more points of view that are taken into account, the more comprehensive is the understanding." (p. 22)

"What is wrong with _moving_ from one view to another? First you catch this view. Then you get that. You stand in between for a while. Then you move to an entirely new position. In fact, this is our recommendation. We believe that the best understanding comes from being able to view the world from as many perspectives as possible. We want you to give up the idea that one map, or even one projection, can meet our needs for understanding." (p. 26)

"'[U]pside-down' maps shock viewers into questioning their assumptions about maps in particular and about life in general....Sometimes all we need to do to solve our problems is turn them upside down." (p. 56)

"But we do not have to have just one picture. We can have, we _do_ have, many. There is no reason for maps all to be on the same projection. The ceaseless repetition of a single projection tries to convince people that 'this' is what the earth looks like. But the earth does not look the way any individual projection makes it look." (p. 67)

"The more attached you are to YOUR way being right, the harder a time you'll have with new perspectives." (p. 69)

"Once people get an image of the earth in their heads, it is hard to persuade them of the advantages offered by another point of view. Another name for this reluctance is prejudice. To work against it, keep as many perspectives in play as possible!" (p.76)

"If we make an effort to look at everything, and try to take our eyes to new places, the world we experience will be much richer, more interesting, more useful, more complete, more generous, more _real_." (p. 109)

If you want your adolescent kids to be given a healthy dose of cognitive dissonance, to open their eyes to a deeper structure at work in our usage of symbols and to innoculate them against media illiteracy, this book seems to be a pretty good place to start. Here's my test. Look at these three questions from the book, page 99:

"What assumptions are built into the concept or image I'm presented with?; What other points of view might provide an entirely different 'take' on things?; How might this appear to someone raised in an entirely different culture or country?"

Do you want your kids asking these kinds of questions? If so, this book would be a good resource. (It is also a great introduction to funky, non-traditional maps like the Peters projection, the Fuller Dymaxion map, and the aforementioned McArthur's Universal Corrective Map of the World.)

Map Apreciation.......2002-12-08

This book will really help you to appreciate maps and their use through out history. Easily understood and very well written. This is must read for anyone who is even slightly interesred in maps.

Highly recommended for libraries.......2002-05-19

As librarians in Bergen County, N.J., we highly recommend "Seeing Through Maps" for all library collections. This a wonderfully illustrated, interestingly written book. It is especially good for the young adult collection as it is accurate, clear and attractively laid out. Young adults coming into the library find it easily understood and packed full of information. This book would be very helpful in both public and school libraries.

Seeing Through Maps.......2002-04-03

I highly recommend this title, whether you are or are not a map enthusiast. The book is easy to follow for anyone with at least a junior high school education, and informative, even if you are a college graduate. It will give you a new appreciation of maps and their important role in our history and our world today. This is the type of book that will make you a "map geek" even if you never really thought that much about the subject before you picked up the book.

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