Mark Monmonier

Critics' Comments:

"a humorous, informative and perceptive appraisal of a key source of information that most of us have always taken for granted." --Toronto Globe and Mail

"will leave you much better defended against cheap atlases, shoddy journalism, unscrupulous advertisers, predatory special-interest groups, and others who may use or abuse maps at your expense." --Christian Science Monitor

"This unusual book shows how cartographers distort the information they present—accidentally and deliberately." --Los Angeles Times

"a useful guide to a subject most people probably take too much for granted. It shows how map makers translate abstract data into eye-catching cartograms, as they are called. It combats cartographic illiteracy. It fights cartophobia. It may even teach you to find your way. For that alone it seems worthwhile." --New York Times

"witty examination of how and why maps lie. . . . conveys an important message about how statistics of any kind can be manipulated. But it also communicates much of the challenge, aesthetic appeal, and sheer fun of maps." --Wilson Library Bulletin

"What Huff did for statistics, Monmonier has done for cartography." --Whole Earth Review

"wonderfully entertaining and informative book. . . . His presentation is articulate, his illustrations informative and enlightening, and his research dauntingly thorough." --The WorldPaper

"This book is an informative and entertaining look at cartography--the art and science of making maps. . . . Unlike many dry textbooks it is full of both real and contrived examples of maps that distort the underlying data." --American Statistician

"The prose is clear, easy to read, and sparkles with erudite humor." --Geographical Review

"His eleven-step guide to how land developers lie on the maps they send to local planning commissions should be required reading for anyone who has ever worried about the effects of a new subdivision somewhere nearby." --The Public Historian

"offers a cheery set of instructions for distorting maps—and thereby spotting distortion in the maps of others." --Washington City Paper

"Altogether an engaging volume." --Geographical Journal