The Library of Lost Maps: How Forgotten Maps Reveal Our Past and Determine Our Future

Join renowned geographer James Cheshire on a tour through a forgotten collection of maps that shaped over 200 years of Western history.

Tucked just beyond offices and a lecture hall in the heart of London lies a turquoise door. Intrigued, James Cheshire stepped through and was astonished by what he found inside: thousands of maps and atlases, spilling out of wooden drawers. It was a map library.

In The Library of Lost Maps, Cheshire transports us to the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, when the library’s maps were wielded for war and negotiated during peace; when its charts traced, for the first time, the icy peaks of the Himalayas. Maps have played a vital role in shaping our scientific knowledge of the world, inspiring the theory of plate tectonics and showing the impact of climate change. They have also guided politicians, encouraging both beneficial reforms and horrific conquests, the consequences of which we live with today.

Brimming with surprising discoveries and stunning four-color map reproductions, The Library of Lost Maps unveils the power of maps to remind us of our past and inspire us toward a better future.

James Cheshire is Britain’s only Professor of Geographic Information and Cartography. A world-leading map maker, his creations have been enjoyed by millions. He is an elected fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and has been recognized with awards from the Royal Geographical Society and the British Cartographic Society. His co-authored book Atlas of the Invisible won the American Association of Geographer’s Globe Award. When he is not making, writing about, or teaching with maps, James spends his time scouring eBay, in hope that one day, he’ll have a map library of his own. He lives in London.