Cartographies of Danger: Mapping Hazards in America (Paperback)

~ (Author) "A convenient place to begin is with the effect of map scale on the perception and portrayal of danger..." (more)
Key Phrases: flood insurance maps, tornado incidence, radon zones, Geological Survey, New York, San Francisco (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

With chapters titled "Death Tracks," "Ill Winds," and "Nuclear Nightmares," Mark Monmonier's book Cartographies of Danger is sure to appeal to anyone interested in natural or manmade disasters. But make no mistake--this book is not just another attempt to profit off of a scary topic. Mark Monmonier is a professor of geography at Syracuse University, and Cartographies of Danger is an in-depth look at the little-known science of hazard-mapping. As Professor Monmonier demonstrates, hazard-mapping is as much art as science; detailed seismic-hazard maps of California, for example, failed to indicate the potential for the disastrous Northridge earthquake of 1994. Yet despite its imperfection, hazard-mapping is a valuable exercise and one that will undoubtedly improve in the coming decades.

Cartographies of Danger doesn't restrict itself to natural hazards such as floods, earthquakes, or volcanoes; Professor Monmonier also covers crime, pollution, and radon using the same principles of hazard-mapping. His examples of hazard maps demonstrate the relationships among mapping, scientific understanding of hazards, and the perception of risk. In addition, the book gives practical advice on how to avoid geographic hazards. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

Maps are used not only to navigate and to display quantitative data but also to reflect our perceptions of the world. Geographer Monmonier (How To Lie with Maps, Univ. of Chicago, 1996) here investigates the mapping of environmental hazards and how it relates to risk perception, believing that such "an examination...offers valuable insights about scientific knowledge, public policy, and popular perceptions." Hazard maps may under- or overstate risk, depending on the map scale, the type of map, and the agenda of the map's creator. Using floodplain, earthquake, air pollution, and nuclear power maps to illustrate how errors in judgment can occur in the construction of hazard maps, Monmonier shows that risk perception and analysis are shaped and even distorted in hazard maps?a thesis that is well documented by real maps from government agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Association and the Environmental Protection Agency. This challenging book will appeal to educated lay readers, planners, geographers, regulators, social scientists, and risk assessors.?Susan Maret, Univ. of Colorado, Denver
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 378 pages
• Publisher: University Of Chicago Press; 1 edition (October 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0226534197
• ISBN-13: 978-0226534190
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #787,259 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book about Emergency Planning, December 11, 2004

By	Michael Makar (Bradenton, FL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I use this book as additional reading for my Technology in Emergency Management course. This is a great book connecting mapping, hazards, and technology. It is written so non-technical types, like me, can understand. If you are interested in disasters, hazards, vulnerability assessments, or familiar with CAMEO, ALOHA, FEMA and NRC, etc. this book should be on your bookshelf.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Check this out if you like Edward Tufte (Envisioning Info.), June 15, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Cartographies of Danger: Mapping Hazards in America (Hardcover)

A great overview of how to convey information through cartography. The author chooses to focus on mapping environmental hazards to demonstrate this; their may be other topics that would lend itself to the exercise but the chosen subject seems a perfect fit. Entertaining and accessible.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A useful tool for evaluating environmental risk., March 4, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Cartographies of Danger: Mapping Hazards in America (Hardcover)

Monmonier, a professor of geography at Syracuse University, discusses the art and science of hazard-zone mapping, "a momentous adaptation of electronics and numerical analysis", in this clearly-written explanation of the possibilities and limitations of the new cartographic genre.
Assuming no special cartographic knowledge on the part of the reader, the author begins with the basics of scale in map-making, and proceeds to explore the ways in which tornadoes, earthquakes, environmental pollution hazards, crime, and other risks are analyzed and translated into usable graphical form.
Noting that "it is wise to question the map maker's motives", Monmonier also encourages the reader to view risk-maps with some healthy skepticism as "partly rhetorical,,,social constructions" which "can always be manipulated".
With numerous charts, graphs, and maps, Monmonier's work is highly recommended as a clear exposition of geographic hazards and a useful tool for evaluating one's own level of risk.

(The "score" rating is an ineradicable feature of the page. This reviewer does not "score" books.)