Title TBA 328086 - Subtitle TBA 328086 (Hardcover)

North, south, east and west: almost all societies use the four cardinal directions to orientate themselves, to understand who they are by projecting where they are. For millennia, these four directions have been foundational to our travel, navigation and exploration and are central to the imaginative, moral and political geography of virtually every culture in the world. Yet they are far more subjective than we might realise. The Four Points of the Compass takes the reader on a journey of directional discovery. Jerry Brotton reveals why Hebrew culture privileges east; why the Renaissance Europeans began drawing north at the top of their maps; why the imperial Chinese revered the south; why the Aztecs used five colour-coded cardinal directions; and why no societies, primitive or modern, have ever orientated themselves westwards, the direction of darkness. He ends by reflecting on our digital age in which we, the little blue dot on the screen, have become the most important compass point. Throughout, Brotton shows that the directions reflect a human desire to create order and that they only have meaning, literally and metaphorically, depending on where you stand.

General

Imprint:	Allen Lane
Country of origin:	United Kingdom
Release date:	September 2023
Authors:	Author TBA 328086
Dimensions:	222 x 138 x 25mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Hardcover
Pages:	128
ISBN-13:	978-0-241-55687-0
Categories:	Books > Humanities > History > General Books > Earth & environment > Geography > Geographical discovery & exploration Books > Professional & Technical > Transport technology > Shipbuilding technology & engineering > Navigation & seamanship Books > History > General
LSN:	0-241-55687-2
Barcode:	9780241556870

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