Synopses & Reviews
The twentieth century was a golden age of mapmaking, an era of cartographic boom. Maps proliferated and permeated almost every aspect of daily life, not only chronicling geography and history but also charting and conveying myriad political and social agendas. Here Tim Bryars and Tom Harper select one hundred maps from the millions printed, drawn, or otherwise constructed during the twentieth century and recount through them a narrative of the centuryand#8217;s key events and developments.
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As Bryars and Harper reveal, maps make ideal narrators, and the maps in this book tell the story of the 1900sand#151;which saw two world wars, the Great Depression, the Swinging Sixties, the Cold War, feminism, leisure, and the Internet. Several of the maps have already gained recognition for their historical significanceand#151;for example, Harry Beckand#8217;s iconic London Underground mapand#151;but the majority of maps on these pages have rarely, if ever, been seen in print since they first appeared. There are maps that were printed on handkerchiefs and on the endpapers of books; maps that were used in advertising or propaganda; maps that were strictly official and those that were entirely commercial; maps that were printed by the thousand, and highly specialist maps issued in editions of just a few dozen; maps that were envisaged as permanent keepsakes of major events, and maps that were relevant for a matter of hours or days.
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As much a pleasure to view as it is to read, A History of the Twentieth Century in 100 Maps celebrates the visual variety of twentieth century maps and the hilarious, shocking, or poignant narratives of the individuals and institutions caught up in their production and use.
Review
andldquo;With each page, we witness Londonandrsquo;s horizontal and vertical expansion. The collected work of Londonandrsquo;s cartographers shows urban mass as a living entity, pushing forever outward. In its entirety, Mr. Barberandrsquo;s book captures this energy and sense of organic growth. . . . This is a coffee table book that deserves to be read and studied. . . . [A] beautiful and engaging book.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;[E]ndlessly absorbing. . . . [A] skillful balance between the cityandrsquo;s shape-shifting actuality and the various fantasies, cherished by everybody from Christopher Wren to the Luftwaffe, of what the place, with a few crucial tweaks, might become.andrdquo;
Review
“Highly recommended.” New York Journal of Books
Review
and#8220;Creatively designed and copiously illustrated, this beautiful and informative coffee table publication replicates an exhibition that was displayed at the British Library from November 2006 to March 2007. . . . This handsome publication will be a delightful and useful resource for a variety of audiences, including the general public; map collectors and bibliophiles; local and urban historians; and scholars interested in historical geography, urban geography and planning, and the history of cartography.and#8221;
Review
andldquo;Highly recommended.andrdquo;
Review
andquot;Charts the political and social upheavals of the last century by means of maps, digging below the functional surface to reveal how maps of the time reflected popular ideas, prejudices, and waves of progress. . . . The highly eclectic result serves in itself as a reminder of the myriad ways in which we see and interpret the world around us.andquot;
Review
andquot;The entire volume exceeds the authorandrsquo;s expressed aspirations to present an honest and inclusive representation of London. I particularly appreciated the authorandrsquo;s perspectives on the history of mapping, which includes analysis and documentation of the highly selective nature of maps and mapping throughout history. The analysis of the motives of cartographers and publishers in particular is outstanding, being something few other books of this type include and a worthwhile addition to any publication discussing the history of cartography.andquot;
Review
andquot;Chronicles and#39;the first period of near-universal map literacy.and#39; Its beautiful entries are not only traditional maps; the authorsand#39; careful language shows that some of the items that were and#39;printed, drawn, or otherwise constructedand#39; last century were technically diagrams. Others showed imaginary places or were rendered as, for example, postcards. The images are accompanied by lengthy histories of the items and the circumstances under which they were created, making the work ideal for readers of cultural and cartographic history.andquot;
Review
andquot;It has been said that history is nothing more than chronology and geography. Two British specialists in antiquarian maps, Tim Bryars and Tom Harper, aim to prove this point with their book, A History of the Twentieth Century in 100 Maps, setting forth maps that serve as historic markers of the 20th century. . . . A History of the Twentieth Century in 100 Maps succeeds in showing how maps depict the brutalities and wonders of the last century.andquot;
Synopsis
Over the past 2000 years, London has developed from a small town, fitting snugly within its walls, into one of the world's largest and most dynamic cities. London: A History in Maps illustrates and helps to explain the transformation using over 400 examples of maps. Side-by-side with the great, semi-official, but sanitized images of the whole city, there are the more utilitarian maps and plans of the parts--actual and envisaged--which perhaps present more than topographical records. They all have something unique to say about the time when they were created. Peter Barber's book reveals the "inside story" behind one of the world's greatest cities.
Synopsis
Over the past two thousand years London has developed from a small town, fitting snugly within its walls, into one of the worldandrsquo;s largest and most dynamic cities. This beautifully illustrated book charts that growth and the cityandrsquo;s transformation through hundreds of maps culled from the collection of the British Libraryandrsquo;s Map Library.and#160;and#160;These visual records range from sweeping images of the entire city to nuanced studies of its elements and neighborhoods. Including official documents, individual endeavors, hand-drawn renditions, and technologically advanced replicas, these maps represent a variety of perspectives. Utilitarian maps show the city as it is and serve to elucidate its inner workings, while carefully wrought plans show the city as it was envisionedandmdash;whether those plans were executed or not.and#160;The maps and panoramas collected here are more than topographical records. They all convey unique insight into the concerns, assumptions, ambitions, and prejudices of Londoners at the time the maps were created. In addition to offering readers a tour of London past and present, this book reveals the inside story of the creation, growth, and change of one of the worldandrsquo;s greatest cities.
About the Author
Peter Barber is head of map collections at the British Library. He is the author of many bestselling and critically acclaimed books on the history of maps and mapmaking, including Tales from the Map Room, Lie of the Land, and The Map Book.
Table of Contents
Editorial
London: A History in Maps
Section One: The Walled City 50andndash;1066
1.1 Within the Walls
1.2 A Renaissance Vision
1.3 London from Bankside
1.4 The First Maps
1.5 The London Reality
Section Two: London Reborn
2.1 Building the City
2.2 The City and Westminster
2.3 Profiting from Development
2.4 The Coming of the West End
2.5 London Life
Section Three: 'Sweet, Salutarie Air': London's Countryside
3.1 London's Villages
3.2 From Noble Mansion to Gentleman's Villa
3.3 'Sweet, Salutarie Air'
Section Four: Out of Sight: The East End and Docklands
4.1 London's Workshop
4.2 The Coming of the Docks
Section Five: The Age of Improvement
5.1 The Demands of Commerce
5.2 Regency Grandeur
Section Six: The Mean Streets of Victorian London
6.1 Unbridled Growth
6.2 Hard Times
6.3 The Coming of the Railways
6.4 Sewage and London-wide Government
6.5 Open Spaces, Health and Social Harmony
6.6 New Roads for Old
6.7 Stanfords for Maps
Section Seven: Metroland
7.1 Different Londons
7.2 Be a Sport . . .
7.3 Imperial Grandeur
7.4 Getting Around
7.5 A to Z
7.6 Destruction from the Air
Section Eight: Maps in Modern London
8.1 Convulsions
8.2 London Resurgent
8.3 London Present and Future
Select Reading List on Historic Maps of London
Index of People
General Index