For over 50 years Frank Jacobs has been one of MAD's influential writers. In the first installment of our MAD's Greatest Writers series, Frank Jacobs personally collects the highlights from his time at MAD Magazine.
Seit der Schulzeit ist Frank Jacobs ein großer Kartenliebhaber. Allerdings wurde diese Liebe früh enttäuscht, da sein Schulatlas mit dem offiziellen Lehrplan abgestimmt war und somit der Fantasie wenig Raum ließ. Wie jeder enttäuschte Liebhaber sah er sich bald schon nach etwas anderem um und stieß dabei auf Karten, die mehr erzählen, als sie eigentlich zeigen: literarische Karten, Propagandakarten, kartographische Irrtümer, Kartogramme … Als Frank Jacobs viele Jahre später seinen Blog 'Strange Maps' ins Leben rief, um seine mittlerweile umfangreiche Sammlung mit anderen Kartenliebhabern zu teilen, ging er von einigen wenigen Lesern aus. Doch schon nach einer Woche erzielte sein Blog mehrere Tausend Hits, am Ende des Jahres waren es fast eine Million. Dieser Band vereint die schönsten, skurrilsten und komischsten Karten, die Frank Jacobs bislang in seinem Blog gepostet hat. Seit jeher zeugen Karten vom Wissensstand einer Epoche – und loten ganz nebenbei die Grenzen menschlicher Vorstellungskraft aus. Denn sie bringen dem Betrachter nicht nur Unbekanntes nahe, sondern sind auch veritable Fremdenführer der Fantasie.
Following on from Mapping New York and Mapping London , Mapping Exploring the Continent takes a similar approach in its presentation, thematically arranging a vivid collection of historic, demographic, cultural and artistic maps to aid the reader on their journey. Featuring four centuries of maps that depict the changing landscape of North America, Mapping America charts the continent through numerous landmark events and uprisings, including the Civil War, the Civil Rights Movement, and more recent concerns, such as the environment and terrorism.From early maps depicting the country’s colonial beginnings, through to contemporary maps depicting America today, the book presents the reader with a multi-faceted view of the North American physical and cultural landscape; from maps showing the electoral routes of Presidential campaigns, to the diminishing native communities shown in census maps, to maps charting the country’s health statistics.Alongside the historic, geographic, and political, the book also pays particular attention to the artistic and imaginative, documenting America’s rich and descriptive literary and artistic past. The journey taken by Jack Kerouac in the seminal book On the Road is documented in a hand-drawn map, whilst numerous artists known for their interest in cartography will be featured, from the representational to the abstract, including Paula Scher with The United States and Daniel Medina with Map Cube World .Not just for cartography enthusiasts, Mapping Exploring the Continent appeals to the general reader, as well as specialists in the areas of geography, art, architecture and design. The book's breadth of material, with a variety of maps ranging from the historically accurate to the imaginative and entertaining, makes it accessible to all, and a perfect Christmas gift.
"Spanning many centuries, all continents and the realms of outer space and the imagination, this unique book of maps combines beautiful full-color illustrations with quirky statistics and smart social commentary, resulting in an illustrated guide to just about everything. Brimming with trivia, deadpan humor and idiosyncratic lore, Strange Maps is a fascinating tour of all things weird and wonderful in the world of cartography."--Jacket
Side-Splitting story of man who runs his business like a private circus, filling the water cooler with wine; wearing an artificial scar to convince people he has a mean twin brother; and on and on.....
