Customer Reviews

Mapping (Phoenix Science)

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This book is a simple introduction to maps and map-reading. It is divided into two parts: getting the most out of maps, and making your own. In the first part, getting the most out of maps, Greenhood goes over the basics of how to orient yourself on a map, explaining coordinate systems, latitude, longitude, scale and direction. He then turns to content, and tells us how streams, rivers, roads, mountains, and elevations are represented on maps, including a discussion of topography. This section closes with a lengthy chapter on projections where Greenhood points out the difficulty of representing a spherical reality on a flat surface and goes on to enumerate all the various ways this problem has been addressed over the centuries.

In the second part of the book, Greenhood gives practical advice for amateur map makers. He describes triangulation methods used by surveyors to accurately record the features of the landscape. He also includes a chapter covering tools and equipment helpful for making maps (such as sharp pencils).

The language of the text is quite simple, appropriate perhaps for middle-schoolers. For example, when explaining the need for projections, he writes "Nobody now wants a flat earth any more than he wants a flat tire. But we must have flat maps. Flat maps with round meanings." Some of the points are made repeatedly in different parts of the same chapter. Greenhood does not assume that readers will have a strong background in math-some high school geometry should suffice. The level of the content is very basic, and readers with any experience in orienteering will likely find much of the material too basic. On the other hand, for readers with no experience at all in using maps, this book may prove a decent place to start. The Appendix includes a variety of useful tidbits, from metric conversion tables, to conversion of compass points to degrees, to scaling factors. There is also an index.

This book is a great reference tool. I used it in my cartography courses at school and still use at work. I help teach many people to read maps, and often refer to this book to help explain complex ideas in layman's terms. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand how to both read and create maps.

Jennifer Barry

Cartographer

This basic text was my first introduction to cartography, and remains my favorite reference. I am delighted to find that I can replace my long departed copy at last. The fact that a copy of Greenhood is hard to hold on to is a tribute to its usefullness!

Adella Edwards

Cartographer

Department of Tropical Environment studies and Geography

James Cook University of North Queensland