Number 37, Fall 2000 cartographic perspectives 95

Air Apparent. How ic conventions, such as isobars tion, extremes and meteorologists learned to , and direction arrows pro- climate classification as well as predict and dramatize . gressed over decades and centu- the modern concerns of global ries, finally merging in the 1800s. warming and ozone depletion. By Mark Monmonier In addition to these cartographic The final chapter focuses on University of Chicago Press, Chi- innovations, the author includes . As Monmonier ob- cago, 1999. discussions of some of meteorolo- serves, is inherently $27.50 (cloth) gy’s important controversies such cartographic, yet little attention is ISBN: 0-226-53422-7 as the discoveries surrounding paid to the theory and practice of 309p. the understanding of storm sys- map-making. Likewise, histo- tems and the reluctant, at least in rians of cartography have given Reviewed by: the US, adoption of the concept meteorological little study. Melissa Lamont of warm fronts and cold fronts. With this chapter the author, Data Library and Archives Continuing from observations to at least, begins to correct those Woods Hole Oceanographic rudimentary forecasting, the au- oversights. Institution thor emphasizes the importance Air Apparent ends on a posi- Woods Hole, MA 02536 of the telegraph for the timely tive note. transmission of weather observa- is more accurate and prescient A nation with an entire cable tions required for predictions and than ever, and advances in theory television channel devoted to the progression of weather fore- and technology should carry the weather must be considered casting from a primarily military, our understanding even further. obsessed. This concise little defense science to an agrarian, Concerning the display and dis- volume speaks to our national domestic science. semination of these data, Mon- weather addiction and illustrates The early 20th century saw the monier envisions a future with the development of the carto- first regularly published current interactive and animated charts graphic images we seek out daily weather charts of the Northern and maps responding to short- in newspapers, television, and on Hemisphere and the more regu- term and long-term conditions the Internet. lar inclusion of weather maps in and expectations. In Air Apparent, Monmonier newspapers. Thus, weather infor- Since the weather is a topic of continues in the style of his ear- mation began to reach a broader common interest, Air Apparent is lier books How to Lie with Maps audience; first through print sure to appeal to a general audi- and Maps in the News. Air Appar- publications, then television, and ence while providing a manage- ent is an amply detailed yet read- now the Internet. As Monmonier able overview of the subject in able account of weather, climate notes, printed maps tend to be only 309 pages. Additionally, and meteorological cartography. simple and clear while televi- Monmonier has an unusual tal- Arranged nearly chronologically, sion and Internet maps have the ent for writing books that both each chapter explores a topic added advantage of animated casual readers and experts will or aspect in the development of symbols. The author brings the appreciate. His thorough re- weather maps, as we know them book up to date with chapters search is evident in the anno- today. on recent technological develop- tated endnotes. The index is well Though weather observations ments. High performance com- constructed and complete and had long been made and record- puting and mathematical refine- an appendix includes a series of ed the idea for locating the ob- ments enable more sophisticated URLs. His choice of illustrations servations on a map was slow in forecasting, with satellite meteo- complements the text and the developing. Although we take for rology and weather radar adding black and white maps, in particu- granted the rendering of meteo- new dimensions to the suite of lar, nicely highlight many salient rological symbols on a map, the meteorological tools. Through points. A chapter on air-quality, first genuine weather map was these chapters, Monmonier man- dispersion and hazards is rather probably not created until 1816. ages to explain highly technical oddly placed but the information Through the first several chapters concepts and systems, such as is pertinent to the overall topic Monmonier traces the history of Doppler radar and NEXRAD, in and the author has clearly given the science of meteorology and comprehensible terms that even it much thought, having already the conceptual combination of the technologically challenged published a book on the subject maps and weather observations. will understand. Another chap- of disasters. The associated development of ter addresses climate, including In all, Air Apparent is just weather symbols and cartograph- fundamentals such as precipita- what we have come to expect 96 cartographic perspectives Number 37, Fall 2000 from Mark Monmonier, a well- could be completed in the foresee- by the compiler. The maps were researched and readable account able future at a reasonable cost; to anonymously reviewed by classi- of an area of cartography that has create a single, bound ample cal scholars who were not other- not previously been well exam- in size but not unwieldy; to com- wise connected with the project. ined. This book will be an excel- prehensively cover depictions of Funding for the project, more than lent addition to most libraries and ancient landscape configurations; $4.5 million, came from a num- the collections of both cartogra- and to create maps that could be ber of different sources including phers and meteorologists. used by readers not necessarily the Barrington Foundation, the well versed in map interpretation. American Philological Association, Donnelly Cartographic Services the National Endowment for the Barrington Atlas of the Greek and (later Geosystems and MapQuest. Humanities, and the University of Roman World. com, Inc.) and the Princeton Uni- North Carolina, Chapel Hill. versity Press were involved early “The purpose of each map is to Richard J.A. Talbert, ed. Princeton, to establish the format and style offer an up-to-date presentation NJ: Princeton University Press, of the atlas. In 1990 a specimen of the significant physical and cul- 2000. xxviii pages, 102 plates, map prepared by Donnelly Car- tural features of the area covered, [ ] pages. ISBN 0-691-03169-X; tographic Services, which became within the relevant time frame, $325.00. Two-volume Map-by-Map the “Byzantium” map in the atlas, exploiting all available historical, Directory (ISBN 0-691-04962-9) received the “American Congress epigraphic, and archaeological $150.00 on Surveying and Mapping Cer- data.” The Barrington could well be tificate of Merit, 1990 Map Design the Times World Atlas for the Greek Reviewed by Competition, Best of Category: and Roman world. The volume Jenny Marie Johnson Series Maps and Charts.” Setting a includes 99 topographic maps on Map and Librarian goal of foreseeable completion in 175 pages plus three additional University of Illinois combination the goals for compre- overview “sketches.” There is an hensiveness and a single-volume extensive amount of introductory The publication of the Barrington accessible atlas drove design and material that places the atlas into Atlas of the Greek and Roman World coverage. Maps were prepared an intellectual context, describes is an event that has been awaited that follow a common format with how the atlas was prepared, and by classical scholars for over one a unifying symbol style, method of assists the user in making the best hundred years. Only one other elevation depiction, and a mini- use of the maps. A 44-page gaz- publication has attempted to com- mum of different scales. etteer section containing 24,249 prehensively display the physical More than 200 individuals were feature names found on the maps, landscape of the Greek and Roman involved in the preparation of including multiple names for some world, Atlas of Ancient Geography the atlas, preparing base maps, features, concludes the volume. Biblical and Classical by William compiling data, reviewing maps The maps are at four different Smith published between 1872 and and directory entries, and editing. scales, 1:5,000,000, 1:1,000,000, 1874.1 In 1980, members of the Base maps were developed from 1:500,000 and 1:150,000. Most of American Philological Association standard Defense the maps are double-page plates. (APA) realized that projects then Mapping Agency/National Relief is shown by gradient tints underway were not going to suc- Imagery and Mapping Agency and, depending on scale, shading cessfully meet the need for basic products, Joint Operations Graph- or contours. The smallest scale reference maps supporting classi- ics, Tactical Pilotage Charts, Op- is used for the seven regional cal studies and that older materi- erational Navigation Charts and “overview maps” that open the als were becoming increasingly Global Navigation Charts. Compil- map portion of the atlas. The areas less accessible. In 1988, after little ers were specialists already well covered by the overview maps further forward movement by the acquainted with the regions that are large regions, some of which APA, Richard Talbert was asked to they were asked to cover; compil- had contact with the Greeks and take on the task of providing the ers were to use existing sources, Romans but were not strictly part focus and driving force to success- not to become involved in new, of the Greek or Roman worlds: fully compile and complete the extensive research efforts. Each of Mare Internum, Fortunatae Insu- publication of a reference atlas. Tal- the plates includes attribution to lae, Hibernia-Scandinavia, Asia bert set five goals for the project: to its compilers, as none of the work Occidentalis, Arabia-Azania, India involve the cartography firm and in the atlas is anonymous or done with Sri Lanka, Asia Orientalis. publisher early in development by the collective, and the date that Six geographical sections follow: process; to develop plans that it was submitted to the project Europa Septentrionalis, Hispania-