Maphead

[tcarey6578]

While on a plane to Boston, I was reading US Airways magazine to pass the time and came across an article on your new book, Maphead. It was listed as a Must Read and after finishing the article, I'm putting it on my own personal Must Read list. During the vacation, my host took me to The Mapparium, a three story painted glass globe that gives a 3 dimentional perspective of the world of 1935. While there, I had to wonder if you had ever been there. With your love of maps - I'd say that if not, you definitely have to get there! The Mapparium is part of the Mary Baker Eddy Library, 200 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA

[Ken Jennings]

Love the Mapparium! Can't believe I never heard of it until recently. It's actually in Chapter 11 of Maphead. (Well, a mention of it. The whole Mapparium wouldn't fit.)

[rockgolf]

I remember seeing that in Boston 20 years ago. You actually walk inside the globe and see the globe from the inside. (So if you saw the Mapparium from the usual viewpoint, all the countries and writing would be in mirror image.

If you can't imagine that, perhaps this will help (click to expand):

[econgator]

Just pre-ordered my Kindle version today!

[heyrockyGA]

Are there maps in the hardcover edition that might not translate well to the Kindle version? While I am a fully converted digital book reader, this seems like one book that might be better to have in its true form.

[WhoisMark]

I received this from Amazon.com today:

Hello,

We have good news! One of your pre-ordered items is now eligible for release date delivery and has been upgraded at no additional charge. Your new delivery estimate is:

Ken Jennings "Maphead: Charting the Wide, Weird World of Geography Wonks"
Previous estimated arrival date: September 22 2011
New estimated arrival date: September 20 2011

********
That's the way to treat a Prime member. Is it time to add the latest book to this section of the message board to join the previous titles?

[Ken Jennings]

Good point! Added.

[jackjen]

Just wondering if you've ever seen this scene of 'The West Wing.'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8zBC2dvERM&feature=player_embedded

[Ken Jennings]

Just wondering if you've ever seen this scene of 'The West Wing.'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8zBC2dvERM&feature=player_embedded

I always think about that scene every time I see a Gall-Peters projection or an upside-down map. Both are in MAPHEAD!

Today's Woot piece also made one commenter think about the "Congress for Map Equality" or whatever it's called.

[Ken Jennings]

Are there maps in the hardcover edition that might not translate well to the Kindle version? While I am a fully converted digital book reader, this seems like one book that might be better to have in its true form.

Just realized I never replied to this. The book has somewhere between 10-20 illustrations, mostly maps. In my mind, that's probably not enough to change your format of choice, even if they look slightly better in dead-tree form. But I haven't see the e-versions up close yet, so what do I know.

[baronworm]

Are there maps in the hardcover edition that might not translate well to the Kindle version? While I am a fully converted digital book reader, this seems like one book that might be better to have in its true form.

Just realized I never replied to this. The book has somewhere between 10-20 illustrations, mostly maps. In my mind, that's probably not enough to change your format of choice, even if they look slightly better in dead-tree form. But I haven't see the e-versions up close yet, so what do I know.

I am also torn about this, and will hold off on my purchase (if I can resist, that is...) until I know whether the e-version handles the illustrations well.

So when someone knows the answer to this, do please let us know in this thread!

AtDhVaAnNkCsE !

[Lilly]

Just finished reading the Kindle version and the illustrations seem to come through fine (other than the mistake in the first illustration being discussed elsewhere). I don't have a paper copy to compare to, but you can zoom each illustration to full "page" on the Kindle, so I'm assuming that would be close to the same size as in "dead-tree form". They would likely be clearer on paper, but they are definitely visible enough on Kindle. There are a few I would like to see more detail on (like on Benjamin Salman's map of Islandia, you can't really see clearly enough to read any of the writing).

[themanwho]

Here's a guy who must think that Maphead really does have a treasure map printed on the inside of the dust jacket:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/ ... ition=used

-M

[WhoisMark]

The front page of the site has the tag for "Pre-order now!" Is it time to give that an update? I received a second book yesterday that I also pre-orderd. Ken, could you do a funny blog post about you vs. Florence Henderson?

[tOdd]

Ken, are you mentioning the rather large chunk of space debris (NASA's UARS satellite) hurtling toward Earth, probably landing on Friday, no one's sure where, while you're plugging your book about maps and geography? Seems that if anything is going to make Joe Keg (formerly Joe Six-Pack) want to look at a map of the world, it's to find out if Armageddon is heading their way.

[Ken Jennings]

Yeah, I should finally get around to updating the "pre-order!" stuff by Friday.

[aristotle]

Congrats to Ken on the book! Amazon has now ranked it up to 30th! That's up nine spots!

[hd5032]

Got my copy in the mail today. I went with the paper version, instead of the Kindle version. I thought there might be a lot of maps in it that would be better in the "real" version. Loving it so far.

Whenever I think of maps, I think of this cartoon. This is EXACTLY what my attraction to maps is. I love the possibilities they represent.

http://arloandjanis.com/?p=538

[aristotle]

That is a great link! I hope to get my copy soon

[charlyk]

Thanks to Amazon Prime, I got a physical copy shipped to my front door yesterday for no shipping fee! Stayed up all night reading it, finished it today. I was intrigued to see Sylvie and Bruno mentioned, as I had first heard of them in Stanislas Dehaene's The Number Sense, which I also finished this week!

[braggtastic]

I ordered my copy opening day, and even though I requested 2 day shipping from Amazon, it was delivered the next day. I can think of at least two friends who would love this book; I think it's going to be my go-to gift for the holidays this year.

[themanwho]

Is the reference to "Pigeon Force, Tennessee" on page 155 a typo, or is that a real place?

[Ken Jennings]

Argh...just checked the manuscript and I've had that wrong since the first draft. Pretty weird how you can read something dozens of times and never see the typo. Thanks.

[Muskrat]

Just finished, and I agree with all the good stuff people are saying. The book is a charming, thoughtful, nicely observed, slightly bemused take on things geographic. I especially liked the shout-out to Breezewood, PA, which I have passed through many times, always in awe of the sheer piratical glory of the place. The only thing more aggressively designed to separate travelers form their cash would be a system of false lights for wreckers to lure cars into crashing so the locals could loot the wreckage.

I have to say, though, after reading the geocaching bit, I decided to try it while on a brief vacation on Cape Cod. My phone app showed a site near where I was staying. I followed the somewhat erratic directions, looked around, and spotted the "cache" -- a 35 mm film canister. I felt.... nothing. I mean, I'd basically followed a blinking arrow. Clearly, geocaching needs to be "spiced" up, probably along the Breezewood model -- ad men can hide coupons or special offers in "caches" conveniently placed to lead searchers up to the doors of the business. "Hey, look! I can get 2-for-1 on fleeces ... right over there at the L L Bean!" or just cut straight to the drug dealing aspect -- "thanks for the $20. Your crack is at location XX.XXXX, YYY.YYYY."

Just spitballing here.

[ModernMinerva]

I got my copy in the mail yesterday, and was absolutely shocked to find that someone had drawn and written all over the title page! I showed my boyfriend, and he insisted it was "supposed to be like that." I don't know what to think of this!