Ashworth, Mick & Philip Parker. History of the World in Maps: The Rise and Fall of Empires, Countries, and Cities. HarperCollins UK, dist. by Trafalgar Square. Nov. 2016. 256p. illus. maps. index. ISBN 9780008147792. pap. $45. HIST

World histories related using various objects had “a moment” recently; one such title was Tim Bryars and Tom Harper’s A History of the Twentieth Century in 100 Maps (see ow.ly/hM07304fNQJ). Readers who enjoyed that book, or who appreciate history with a visual slant, will also savor this more ambitious work that covers the world from 1500 BCE (a map of a Babylonian town on a clay tablet) to today’s Google Maps. Included in between, in sections on various eras, are gorgeously reproduced images that illustrate the spirit of their times—in “The Age of Discovery,” for example, are nautical charts. The entries, each accompanied by notes on the relevant historical period and on the map itself, fall into three categories: maps that show their makers’ growing knowledge of the world; those that illustrate cartographic advances; and others that document political events. The maps also confirm the idea that winners write history: the entries were often created as tools of colonial expansion, or at least reflect a world in which colonial powers and their minions were the only subjects of cartography. VERDICT An absorbing browse as well as a valuable companion to history classes.—Henrietta Verma, National Information Standards Organization, Baltimore

Berry, Jill K. Making Art from Maps: Inspiration, Techniques, and an International Gallery of Artists. Rockport: Quayside. Jul. 2016. 160p. illus. index. ISBN 9781631591020. pap. $24.99; ebk. ISBN 9781627888561. CRAFTS

Thankfully, the sources mentioned by noted map artist Berry for finding the main raw material for these gorgeous crafts—maps—don’t include libraries. Rather, the author recommends secondhand bookstores, thrift stores, and yard sales, and offers a list of suppliers. The other items needed can be found at art supply shops or at home, in the case of things such as yarn. The 75-plus crafts featured include paper dolls, jewelry, boxes made of maps, kusudama flowers (think origami) and sculpture. Armchair crafters who never get around to making anything will enjoy the crisp, colorful photos here, which are simply delicious, as well as the author’s notes on maps and her love for them; those who do pick up some tools will find that the instructions are easy to follow and the projects doable and impressive. The instructions and commentary alone make this book worth purchasing for your library. Adding more to the presentation are inspiring gallery sections that offer interviews with map artists, showcasing their vivid, exquisite works. VERDICT A beautiful title that offers something different for both crafters and cartophiles.—Henrietta Verma, National ­Information Standards ­Organization, Baltimore

Great City Maps: A Historical Journey Through Maps, Plans, and Paintings. DK. Sept. 2016. 256p. illus. maps. index. ISBN . $30. HIST

More accessible to YA readers than this season’s similarly stellar History of the World in Maps (reviewed above), this title covers metropolises across the world in chapters on ancient cities, medieval trading centers, imperial capitals, colonial cities, ideal (meaning planned) cities, and megacities. Each chapter opens with a discussion of the city type in question and then offers maps, paintings, and, sometimes photographs in a spread or two each. The large, sumptuously reproduced images are accompanied by lengthy commentary on each destination’s history and geography. On the map itself, which is the centerpiece of the presentation, details are often given on its features, cartographer, design, and materials. Some ­locations—Paris and New York, for example—are illustrated in more than one map. VERDICT A perfect companion to the publisher’s 2014 Great Maps, but also a worthwhile stand-alone purchase, especially where cartography books are needed that serve YA as well as adult patrons.—­Henrietta Verma, National Information Standards Organization, Baltimore

Mattéoli, Francisca. Map Stories: The Art of Discovery. Ilex. Nov. 2016. 176p. maps. index. ISBN 9781781573778. $29.99. trav

Chilean travel writer ­Mattéoli (World Tour; American Hotel Stories), the author of numerous articles in National Geographic and Condé Nast Traveler magazines, chronicles trips—hers and others’—to A­ngkor Wat, Madagascar, China, Route 66, and even one to find the Loch Ness Monster. Sections such as “Lost Cities,” “Wild Lands,” and “From Train to Train” include an article on the place in question, recounting the author’s experiences there as well as some details about its past, and are each accompanied by a large color historical map of the area. While the writing is informative, it is often rather flat, and the maps are oversaturated and sometimes overenlarged, which can make them appear cartoonish. VERDICT For more enjoyable travel writing, try National Geographic’s Journeys Home: Inspiring Stories, Plus Tips and Strategies To Find Your Family History; for better history in maps, suggest The Times History of the World in Maps.—Henrietta Verma, National ­Information Standards ­Organization, Baltimore