A contemporary follow-up to the groundbreaking Power of Maps, this book takes a fresh look at what maps do, whose interests they serve, and how they can be used in surprising, creative, and radical ways. Denis Wood describes how cartography facilitated the rise of the modern state and how maps continue to embody and project the interests of their creators. He demystifies the hidden assumptions of map making and explores the promises and limitations of diverse counter-mapping practices today. Thought-provoking illustrations include U.S. Geological Survey maps; electoral and transportation maps; and numerous examples of critical cartography, participatory GIS, and map art.

The book will be important reading for geographers and others interested in maps and their political uses. It will also serve as a supplemental text in advanced undergraduate- and graduate-level courses such as Cartography, GIS, Geographic Thought, and History of Geography.

Lauded for its accessibility and beautiful design, this text has given thousands of students and professionals the tools to create effective, compelling maps. Using a wealth of illustrations--with 74 in full color--to elucidate each concisely presented point, the revised and updated third edition continues to emphasize how design choices relate to the reasons for making a map and its intended purpose. All components of map making are covered: titles, labels, legends, visual hierarchy, font selection, how to turn phenomena into visual data, data organization, symbolization, and more. Innovative pedagogical features include a short graphic novella, good design/poor design map examples, end-of-chapter suggestions for further reading, and an annotated map examplar that runs throughout the book. New to This Edition *Expanded coverage of using mobile digital devices to collect data for maps, including discussions of location services and locational privacy. *New and revised topics: how to do sketch maps, how map categories and symbols have changed over time, designing maps on desktop computers and mobile devices, human perception and color, and more. *Separate, expanded chapter on map symbol abstraction. *Additional case studies of compelling phenomena such as children's traffic fatalities based on race, the spread of tropical diseases, and the 2012 presidential election. *Many additional color illustrations.