Category Archives: Maps

Another Reason To Check Your Old Books

Posted on October 27, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

I have discovered all manner of ephemera in old books—everything from 19th century hotel bills to bawdy letters—but nothing as special as a rare map of Middle Earth. Blackwell’s Rare Books in Oxford, UK, where J.R.R. Tolkien once taught, has … Continue reading →

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Literary Atlas

Posted on October 24, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

New York City-based cartographer Andrew DeGraff creates extraordinarily detailed maps of literary classics. His just released book, Plotted: A Literary Atlas (Zest Books), features intricate maps that help readers better understand the complex plots of iconic books. The wonderful time-lapse … Continue reading →

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Mapping Diversity

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

London-based painter and printmaker Yanko Tihov has created a brilliant map of London out of passports. Using census data, the map demonstrates the increasing diversity of the UK capital, while showing the most common non-British nationalities in each borough. Inspired … Continue reading →

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Literary Cartography

Posted on September 28, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

The Map of Literature is featured in a terrific new book just released by Penguin. Vargic’s Miscellany of Curious Maps: Mapping Out the Modern World is the work of a precocious 17-year-old cartographic genius from Slovakia named Martin Vargic. The … Continue reading →

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London’s Secret Map

Posted on September 17, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

I love a good map, especially a cleverly designed useful transit network map. And, of course one of my favorites is the Harry Beck design classic London Tube map, with its clear cartography, straight lines and 45-degree rounded corners. But … Continue reading →

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Manhattan: A Cynic’s Subway Map

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Brian D. Butler
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It’s A Small World

Posted on August 31, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

When I was a child one of my most treasured possessions was a small globe. Of course it was an inexpensive, mass produced model, nothing like the beautiful, handcrafted globe above from Bellerby & Co. Globemakers. Founded in 2008 in … Continue reading →

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Harry Potter Underground

Posted on August 24, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

Diehard fans of the Wizarding World now have an actual London Underground map detailing the landmarks from JK Rowling’s books with fictional Tube stations—except for King’s Cross and Paddington of course.

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Mapping the Wild Things

Posted on August 16, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

The late American artist and illustrator David McLimans published widely in periodicals as varied as The Atlantic, Washington Post and New York Times, and was awarded a Caldecott Medal for his children’s book Gone Wild: An Endangered Animal Alphabet. I especially … Continue reading →

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Wish You Were Here

Posted on August 9, 2015 by Brian D. Butler
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