If you read the publicity material for this atlas it will tell you about the 20,000 mapping updates since the eleventh edition, the 3,500 changes to names, the brand new map of Alaska, and the new plates on climate change, biodiversity, and the environment. You will learn that the first single-volume edition of The Times Comprehensive Atlas was published in 1967 and that there have been numerous editions and reprints since then, culminating in its rebirth in digital format in 1999 with the Millennium Edition. Over 100 years of research, data capture, and cartographic expertise are behind this new edition that we see today and which Sir Ranulph Feinnes calls ‘The Greatest Book on Earth’.
The first thing that strikes you about this volume is its sheer presence. It measures 310 mm by 450 mm, extends to 544 pages, and weighs in at five-and-a-half kilograms. The presentation is superb and you get a wonderful feeling of anticipation as you slide the book from its slipcase. But there is no dust jacket any more. Methinks I will miss the generous end flaps when it comes to marking the pages but, no matter, I will have to manage with the ribbon marker and the map symbols card. By way of compensation the atlas cover is rather more glamorous than before and employs the same attractive design as the slipcase. Next comes the torment of where to look first – do you aim straight for the new plate of Alaska or search to see what the plate on Climate Change has to offer?
As a cartographer, I am interested to see if those changes which I have come across in my own research have been incorporated into the latest revision. Potential readers of the atlas will be delighted to hear that my first port of call found that Sanya International Airport on Hainan had been added together with the growing network of motorways in China – so far so good. The Donghai Bridge is there too but, curiously, the new deep-sea port of Yangshan is absent, despite the fact that the 32.5 km bridge was built expressly to link the said port to the mainland!
But rather than pass comment on those random areas of change with which I am familiar, let us examine the work in a methodical manner and see if it does what it says on the tin. As is common with other major world atlases, there is a whole selection of thematic mapping to work through before you reach the atlas proper. The preliminary section begins with seven plates of the latest satellite imagery for the continents and I am pleased that the superimposed graticules are in their correct geographical positions this time – the graticule on Europe in the eleventh edition was somewhat awry compared with the topographic mapping in the atlas, for example. Apart from these lines of latitude and longitude there is no cartographic enhancement of the images – no labels to link the text to the map, no interpretation of the surface, and no explanation of the physical features. Beautiful as they are, I do wonder what is their value. When they were first introduced they had that ‘Wow!’ factor. Nowadays, we see satellite imagery in all walks of life so perhaps it is time to upgrade or replace them with something more interesting.
The three plates describing the universe, the planets, and the earth have been updated and totally redesigned with a new lighter look; gone are the heavy dark backgrounds and stark white lettering. I particularly like the new framing which lends an authority to the mapping, is tasteful, understated, and pleasing to the eye.
The following eleven plates of world mapping give detailed information on the key issues facing the world today: climate change, environmental threats, biodiversity, and energy resources. Each plate has a fresh new appearance with lots of new maps and graphics. But I am disappointed with
the colour ranges used on the choropleth maps. Generally, with a range of seven (or even five) shades of one colour it will be almost impossible to identify which is which on the map itself. And so it is with most of these maps. Some use smaller scales (which does not help) and they could perhaps be enlarged without impinging on the page design. It may look artistically attractive to have maps in single colour ranges but often they don't work – a general impression can be gained but precise identification of class is not that easy.
The original contributions by Barbara Bond and Margaret Wilkes on the history of mapping and modern cartographic practices have been updated by Mike Wood and provide an excellent up-to- the-minute résumé of how we arrived at where we are today in terms of mapmaking. The geographical information for continents, islands, and mountains has also been re-vamped with larger continental maps provided for locating all the mountains listed rather than just the highest. The island insets are now only about 150% larger than the continent maps and I feel a greater difference in size would be beneficial. Alternatively, why not omit them altogether and just key in the statistics to the island on the continent where they are quite evident? There is a lot of green space on the rivers and lakes plate which could be better employed by making the individual excerpts much larger and hence more legible. A touch of re-design is necessary here I feel.
One of the most useful references in this atlas for me is the listing of states and territories of the world – again totally updated with the latest information, including the division of Serbia and Montenegro into separate countries and the temporary capital of Brades in Montserrat following the abandonment of Plymouth due to volcanic activity. This is a wonderful and easy to use aide memoir to identify the status of independent states of the world, dependent and disputed territories at a glance, supplemented by administrative regions and capital cities.
A slight niggle I have had with earlier editions of this atlas is the confusion between page numbers and plate numbers where both have been set in the same fonts and positioned at the top of the page. This has now been resolved admirably by moving the numbers to the bottom of the page for the introductory pages and for the index pages too. The result is a much more user-friendly and coherent design.
There are a total of 125 plates in the main map section, commencing with physical and political maps of the world at 1:60,000,000. Each continental section begins with a political overview map followed by a series of topographic maps that ranges in scale from 1:1,000,000 to 1:2,500,000 for parts of Europe and North America and various smaller scales for the rest of the world. The coverage is the same as the previous edition except for the reinstated Alaska and NW Canada plate at 1:5,000,000 and the removal of the Chile central and Argentina central plate at 1:2,750,000. It could be argued that the coverage is biased towards Europe and North America with now only six regional plates for the whole of South America, for example, but there are more detailed maps for the hotspots of the world and emerging economies such as China. However, the atlas is simply not big enough to map the whole world at 1:5,000,000 or larger and I feel the selection of regions shown at larger scales is a fair representation of our changing world.
The cartography is superb. The maps are clear and legible for the most part although there are instances where more editorial selection of content would have been advantageous as some of the Europe maps appear very cluttered. The blue flood dyke symbol renders smaller lettering almost illegible along the rivers of southern Poland, for example, and other blue symbols such as the marsh pattern could be played down with advantage to the readability of smaller names. But on the whole the soft colours are easy on the eye and the absence of shaded relief contributes to the clarity. Here, too, in the section of topographical maps, the framing has been altered – diced according to graticule intervals – a simple improvement which enhances the referencing process.
The plate titles are in a lighter font than before, reflecting the fresh new look of the whole product.
The index runs to 223 pages, including a comprehensive glossary of geographical terms. Alternative versions and former names are also included, all cross-referenced and complete with geographical coordinates and atlas page references. It occupies a good portion of the atlas and is the largest index to be found in a single-volume atlas – a reference book in itself.
With commercial restraints being what they are today the danger that quality may be sacrificed in favour of cost-cutting is omnipresent. There are far too many examples in the market place where maps get published with little or no regard to the accuracy, currency, and usability of the product. I am pleased to say that there is little evidence of this here. In fact, I would suggest that the editorial and research processes demonstrate a commitment to continual improvement of the product as well as thorough revision of its content.
The way we use a reference atlas varies from day to day: we go to the index to look up places to find their location, we study a region to get an overview, we compare one region to another or we simply explore the world from our armchair. Whatever our requirement it is essential that such a reference contains the answers – it must reflect changes as they occur in our physical and political worlds. The Times Comprehensive Atlas does that exceedingly well – and with style. It sets the standard to which others aspire in the world of atlas publishing.
The print quality is excellent. Forest Stewardship Council paper has been used for the first time in this edition, adding to the book’s ‘green’ credentials. The atlas also feels luxurious. The whole experience of owning a Times Comprehensive Atlas is pleasurable; from removing it from its box for the first time to the hours spent poring over the maps. Jon Snow was right when he said ‘The Times Atlas is a total adventure’. The recommended retail price is £150 although it can be bought for much less if you order online. Add it to your wish list for Christmas. You won't be disappointed. From the middle of the year a luxury version will be available for the first time as a handcrafted, personalized, and leather bound edition – at a cost of £1500 to £3000. Now that is just the icing on the cake.
MARY SPENCE MBE
President,
British Cartographic Society