Cartographic Encounters

'John Rennie Short has trawled through many dusty travel journals and pored over his share of early maps in order to reconstruct this fascinating cultural collision. His book ranges widely, from the cartographic artefacts of pre-Columbian civilisation (maps insribed on birch bark or carved into walrus tusks) to the 19th century exploration of Australia's interior ... consistently entertaining and even-handed.' - Geographical Magazine 'While based on obvious deep scholarship, the book retains a flowing conversational style that is accessible to all, thereby rendering its notions even more powerful and potentially far-reaching. It is, in short, a delight to read ... richly illustrated and attractively produced... Cartographic Encounters succeeds in what it has set out to accomplish, and not only positions discovery and exploration within critical historiography but awakens as well our sense of justice and long-overdue attribution.' - The Globe 'This is a book of maps and voyage appropriately available to a wide readership. Forty-nine illustrations, including early maps, persons, and scenes, meld with references, bibliography, and index to educate and entertain those interested in understanding something of the cartographic history that evolved twixt natives and European colonists in the New World. Recommended.' - Choice 'This short, richly illustrated book describes the historically undervalued role that natives played in providing geographical intelligence to U.S. colonizers ... a popular, accessible introduction to an often-overlooked issue.' - Journal of Interdisciplinary History