Geographic Perspectives in History

Book Description

Ever since a Native American prepared a paper "charte" of the lower Colorado River for the Spaniard Hernando de Alarcón in 1540, Native Americans have been making maps in the course of encounters with whites. This book charts the history of these cartographic encounters, examining native maps and mapmaking from the pre- and post-contact periods.

G. Malcolm Lewis provides accessible and detailed overviews of the history of native North American maps, mapmaking, and scholarly interest in these topics. Other contributions include a study of colonial Aztec cartography that highlights the connections among maps, space, and history; an account of the importance of native maps as archaeological evidence; and an interpretation of an early-contact-period hide painting of an actual encounter involving whites and two groups of warring natives.

Although few original native maps have survived, contemporary copies and accounts of mapmaking form a rich resource for anyone interested in the history of Native American encounters or the history of cartography and geography.

Infinite Perspectives: Two Thousand Years of Three-Dimensional Mapmaking

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A good history of map making processes
Left Me Wanting More...
Infinite, indeed
The Grandeur of Creation
Taking cartography into the next millenium

Infinite Perspectives: Two Thousand Years of Three-Dimensional Mapmaking
Brian M. Ambroziak , Jeffrey R. Ambroziak , and R. Bradbury
Manufacturer: Princeton Architectural Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1568981953

Book Description

Whether from military necessity or unbridled curiosity, mapmakers since early antiquity have attempted to represent the configuration of the land about them. The Greeks paid homage to the landscape and struck its image on their coins. Medieval scholars viewed the highest elevations as a boundary between the physical and the spiritual; the images they created of their sacred shrines and historic sites were drawn atop simple caricatures of mountains. Leonardo da Vinci's maps of Tuscany and other more realistic representations of landforms appeared during the Renaissance, thanks to a wealth of scientific study and new artistic methods.
In the modern era, new techniques were invented as attempts to portray the three-dimensional world on a flat surface became more sophisticated. Hachuring, a system that involves shading with fine parallel or crossed lines, was developed with the use of copper plates; contour lines slowly replaced this technique in the nineteenth century. Lithography allowed for the introduction of color to the printing process, and multi-color tints were used to impart a sense of elevation. Aerial and satellite photography and the dawn of the digital era have yielded maps of unprecedented realism; today's computer technology allows planetary surfaces to be portrayed in three dimensions with a precision unimaginable to previous generations of mapmakers.
Infinite Perspectives traces the artistic and scientific evolution of topographic representation from its origins to the present. Over 80 vivid color plates of some of the most significant maps ever made detail important advances in the portrayal of three dimensions in map form. The final section of the book contains 20 plates presenting a revolutionary cartographic technique that allows viewers wearing ordinary 3D glasses to view planetary surfaces without distortion. This invention, developed by the authors with Dr. Russell Ambroziak and named Infinite Perspective Projection, is currently in use by NASA and the Department of Defense. Included are maps of Mars, the Grand Canyon, and Mount McKinley, as well as two large fold-out maps; the necessary 3D viewing glasses are also provided.
This is the third book in a series that includes our highly acclaimed titles An Atlas of Rare City Maps and Bird's Eye Views.

Customer Reviews:

A good history of map making processes.......2003-09-05

If you are looking for a general history of map making you may enjoy this book. The tile of the book may make it seem like it is specificaly about stereoscopic map making but only the last third of the book cover this topic in depth (no pun intended!). The book begins with a general review of map making techniques and then progresses through the concepts of contours and other depth related concepts and finialy into the true stereoscopic maps using anaglyph and stereo arial photography. Being a both a history fan and a stereoscopic photographer I found this book to be very interesting. There are a number of stereoscopic images toward the end of the book but it is not filled front to back with them. If you are interested in only stereoscopic maps you may find that the last part of the book is the best. Anyone interested in the historic aspects of map making should find this book very good. Overall, I would recommend it to everyone interested in either map making or stereoscopic maps because the overall quality of the information is quite good.

Left Me Wanting More..........2000-02-06

There is no doubt that this book will make a lovely addition to the coffe table library. Beautifully illustarted and informative I was pleased overall. I have to grant only 3 stars, however, because of the mildly disappointing number of 3D images, several of which are repeated more than once. Still.. a keeper.

Infinite, indeed.......2000-02-04

This fascinating volume must be considered a compulsory read for anyone with an "affinity for geography, exploration, and art." The Ambroziaks beautifully and comprehensively chronicle humankind's efforts throught the centuries to graphically represent and make sense of our physical surroundings. I've been an avid "map junkie" for decades, but discovered that I had much to learn- particularly with respect to the state of the art. I am certainly much impressed by the Ambroziak Projection and eagerly await further development of this innovative technique.

"Infinite Perspectives" is, as others have suggested, a wonderful coffee-table book, but it is much, much more. Worth checking out!

The Grandeur of Creation.......2000-01-16

Those who are expecting just another coffee-table book with a few magnificent photographs, are in for a most pleasant surprise.

From the first page, this work brilliantly illuminates mans' struggle to comprehend the subtleties of his world. Some of the most elegant illustrations depict the fantastically abstract manner that various cultures have used to navigate the sea and to map the ground. Of course, the real intrigue of this book derives from the extraordinary three-dimensional photographs that the authors produced and liberally provided--from San Francisco to the Grand Canyon and on to Mars.

For those who trudge through concrete and steel all too often, the Ambroziaks have provided welcome repose with a new lens on creation and all of its grandeur.

Taking cartography into the next millenium.......1999-11-16

The Ambroziaks have set new standards in the fascinating world of cartography. Masterfully written, and including spectacular topological representations, this book is a must-have for anyone interested in maps. The Infinite Perspective three-dimensional technology is second-to-none. A book for people of all ages!

Archaeology And Geographic Information Systems: A European Perspective

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Archaeology And Geographic Information Systems: A European Perspective

Manufacturer: CRC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Geographic information systems GIS applications are viewed with increasing interest by the archaeology community and this book, with its diversity of topics and authorship, should be a useful resource. Complementing the volume "Interpreting Space" Taylor & Francis, 1990, which focused on North American archaeology, this title further develops themes within a specifically - though not exclusively - European context.; It is apparent that there are fundamental differences between North American and European archaeological uses of GIS. Primarily these differences lie in the types of evidence for past landscapes that are available for study in the two continents, and secondly in the different approaches to archaeology and specifically the theory and practice of landscape archaeology. This title centres on the role of archaeological theory in cultural resource management CRM and in GIS applications generally. It showcases the important debate which takes the emphasis away from the technology of GIS and places it back within the central concerns of archaeology and particularly European archaeology.; "Archaeology and GIS" includes material on such concerns as CRM applications, landscape archaeology, intra-site applications and explicitly theoretical concerns, thus representing the state of GIS applications in European archaeology. Contributions come from countries such as France, Italy, Hungary, UK, USA, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Spain, Slovenia and Finland.

The European Scene: A Geographic Perspective

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The European Scene: A Geographic Perspective
James R. McDonald
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Global Studies: Europe (Global Studies Europe)

ASIN: 0132909413

Geographic Perspectives on Soviet Central Asia (Studies of the Harriman Institute)

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Geographic Perspectives on Soviet Central Asia (Studies of the Harriman Institute)
Robert Lewis
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

Macroeconomics | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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Book Description

This book surveys the geography of Soviet Central Asia in the postwar period and highlights geographic issues in the region. Geographic Perspectives on Soviet Central Asia is organized around the unifying themes of integration and the prospects for outmigration of the indigenous population to other parts of the former Soviet Union. The book also covers major geographic issues: regional population growth; the declining level of the Aral Sea; the extent to which investment in Central Asia has been equalized relative to other parts of the former Soviet Union; imperialist tendencies in political integration; geographic segregation by ethnic group and its effect on ethnic processes; the effect of the dominance of investment in primary activities; and the demographic effect of agricultural mechanization.

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History in Geographic Perspective
Edward Whiting Fox
Manufacturer: W W Norton & Co Inc (Np)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

History In Geographic Perspective: The Other France

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History In Geographic Perspective: The Other France
Edward Fox
Manufacturer: W.W. NORTON & COMPANY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OKUV7S

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History In Geographic Perspective: The Other France
Edward Whiting Fox
Manufacturer: W.W. Norton and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NWA8KW

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History in geographic perspective; the other France
Edward Whiting Fox
Manufacturer: Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0393054330

Book Description

When Captain Cook died on Hawaii in 1780, Britain was already at war with France and Spain, who had allied themselves with her rebellious American subjects. The new United States secured its independence in 1783 and, as peace resumed, all three rival European powers turned again to considering the opportunities revealed by Cook's work in the Pacific. Further expeditions were soon dispatched: some were successful, some disasterous, and the achievements of some are still too little known.

This book looks at six of Cook's successors and their Pacific voyages: at Arthur Phillip, founder of the first British colony in Australia; the Comte de Laperouse, whose French scientific expedition vanished without a trace; William Bligh, first in the ill-fated Bounty but then successfully in the Providence and in a Spanish expedition forgotten in the oblivion of his later political disgrace; George Vancouver's controversial voyage to northwest America; and Matthew Flinders' charting of Australia and long imprisonment by the French on Mauritius.

Customer Reviews:

Six of Cook's successors and their Pacific journeys are revealed .......2006-03-04

Expeditions of adventure didn't end with the demise of Captain Cook in 1780: further expeditions were soon dispatched, but too few accounts provide general-interest readers with their specifics. Six of Cook's successors and their Pacific journeys are revealed in Pioneers Of The Pacific: Voyages Of Exploratio, 1787-1810 through the collaborative efforts of Nigel Rigby, Pieter van der Merwe and Lyn Williams. Illustrations in color from a range of international sources accompany biographical and adventure sketches of the six early explorers who continued Cook's legacy and considers their lasting impact, from Arthur Philip, the founder of the first British colony in Australia, to Alejandro Malaspina, whose Spanish expedition's achievements were overshadowed by his later disgrace.

Book Description

UFO phenomena entered American consciousness at the beginning of the Cold War, when reports from astonished witnesses of encounters with unknown aerial objects captured the attention of the United States military and the imagination of the press and the public. But when UFOs appeared not to be hostile, and when some scientists pronounced the sightings to be of natural meteorological phenomena misidentified due to "Cold War jitters," military interest declined sharply and, with it, further overt scientific interest.
Yet sighting reports didn't stop and UFOs entered the public imagination as a cultural myth of the twentieth century. Brenda Denzler's comprehensive, clearly written, and compelling narrative provides the first sustained overview and valuation of the UFO/alien abduction movement as a social phenomenon positioned between scientific and religious perspectives. Demonstrating the unique place ufology occupies in the twentieth-century nexus between science and religion, Denzler surveys the sociological contours of its community, assesses its persistent attempt to achieve scientific legitimacy, and concludes with an examination of the movement's metaphysical or spiritual outlook. Her book is a substantial contribution to our understanding of American popular culture and the boundaries of American religion and to the debate about the nature of science and religion.
Denzler presents a thorough and fascinating history of the UFO/abduction movement and traces the tensions between those who are deeply ambivalent about abduction narratives that seemingly erode their quest for scientific credibility, and the growing cultural power of those who claim to have been abducted. She locates the phenomenon within the context of American religious history and, using data gathered in surveys, sheds new light on the social profile of these UFO communities. The Lure of the Edge succeeds brilliantly in repositioning a cultural phenomenon considered by many to be bizarre and marginal into a central debate about the nature of science, technology, and the production of a modern myth.

Customer Reviews:

A Great Little Book.......2002-03-15

Although we hear reference to the UFO "controversy" or "debate", the situation more closely approximates an overall donnybrook, a sort of philosophical Star Wars over the relative roles that science, religion, and popular culture should play in defining our place in the Universe. Loosely aggregated camps of "believers" and "skeptics" wage a multifaceted battle on many fronts, and as in the case of a shooting war it is all but impossible for combatants to relate to the perspective of their opponents. The issue is not likely to be resolved soon. Like fifteenth century armies engaged in the Hundred Years War each side has enough resources to keep the fight going, but neither side has enough of an advantage to score a decisive victory. Despite the murky blend of reality and fantasy, the hodgepodge of ramshackle philosophical frameworks, the outrageous examples of gullibility and hermetically sealed minds, the overall fray may have some positive results. It allows people with many different perspectives to engage in dialogues that touch upon great existential issues: who we are, where we came from, our future beyond Earth, and intelligent life other than our own. Tomorrow's historians may interpret the chaotic mixture of materialism, spiritualism, empiricism and mysticism that at once entices and enrages so many people as just one small part of the intellectual effort and emotional turmoil that accompanied our coming of age in the cosmos.

Brenda Denzler's "The Lure of the Edge" is a useful addition to the fray. This well organized and nicely written book is brief, and about a third of its pages are occupied by meticulous notes and a massive bibliography. Its brevity is deceptive. "The Lure of the Edge" invites slow, careful reading because it is richly textured, inspires contemplation and reverie, and offers numerous surprises. There is a certain amount of core material that is required to tell the UFO story, but Denzler's fresh examples, interesting details and steady pace should maintain the interest of many people who are already familiar with that story.

"The Lure of the Edge" contains five chapters, an "Afterword," and a substantial "Appendix." The first two chapters give cogent histories of UFO and alien abduction phenomena. The third chapter grapples with the ambiguous and ever-shifting line between fact and fiction, and explores ideas that are defined by the opposing groups as falling at either the "cutting edge" or the "fringe" of science. In the fourth and fifth chapters Denzler looks at the interplay between science and religion and how these play out in people's thinking about UFOs. Her strong background in sociology and her Ph.D. in religious studies give Denzler an easy and in-depth familiarity with mysticism, spiritualism, transcendent experiences and the like, and allow her to develop better than average discussions of ideas that run counter to the basic tenets of science and skepticism. This means she deserves high marks for her discussions of paranormal and New Age ideas. Denzler reminds us that when we consider the influences of science and religion on UFO and other beliefs we should move beyond "God talk" and consider the systematic thinking of high quality, university-affiliated theologians.

Denzler explores issues from multiple perspectives and generally succeeds in interpreting them within useful conceptual frameworks. She makes reference not only to the major UFOlogists such as Vallee, Keel, and Mack, but also skeptics including Shaeffer, Klass, Condon, and especially Menzel. She does her best to be even-handed and fair. Still, it is impossible for any author to walk an entirely straight line through such minefields, and when Denzler errs it is in a direction that would be favored by religious scholars such as Ian Barbour, Huston Smith and Ted Peters and faulted by thoughtful skeptics such as Paul Kurtz and Michael Shermer.

The Afterword presents her final thoughts on science, religion, and UFOs. Although described as an "Appendix" the final section of "The Lure of the Edge" is a unique contribution. Here we find Denzler's own empirical studies of UFO affinity groups. This original research is based on participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and responses to written questionnaires. Although there are some acknowledged methodological limitations, the results paint an interesting picture of the demographic characteristics of the members of such groups, and provide partial tests of certain theories that bear on UFO beliefs. And, her findings remind us that while some people expect science to give them answers about UFOs, other people would prefer such answers to result from a personal quest.

journalistic, lacking sociological insight.......2002-03-08

The book I was hoping this one was has yet to be written. Denzler doesn't tell us anything we didn't already know about why and how people believe in UFOs and aliens. Mainly what we have here is just compiling the history of reported sightings and abductions, as well as summaries of leading authors (Vallee, Keel). No analysis of the psychology or mass psychology of purported abductees. If you're a true believer, the book probably won't interest you, and if you're trying to understand the believers, it won't answer your questions.

I know from my own experience that the author hasn't begun to scratch the surface of the current types of UFO beliefs. Her index doesn't even include Pleiades! There are lots of New Age types out there who believe that benevolent aliens, the Pleiadeans, are trying to help humanity evolve to higher consciousness. There are umpteen versions of this idea featuring other star systems. There are hostile as well as helpful aliens. In Sedona, Arizona, the New Age mecca (and elsewhere, I'm sure) you can purchase pamphlets mapping the alien bases underneath the Red Rock country, and describing the aerial warfare between the Good and Bad Aliens over the Arizona skies!

I'm sure that there are people who sincerely believe in UFOs without any of this supernatural apparatus. Simple enough, it's fun to believe in the possibility of exciting things that might exist. Denzler discusses pseudo-science, and that is a different category from the New Age beliefs. But why and how do people believe in Pleiadeans, and create and embellish elaborate mythologies involving extraterrestrials as angels, demons and demigods? How do abduction beliefs spread in a population? There's a great book out there waiting to be written...

A Systematic Overview.......2002-02-08

Brenda Denzler has produced a systematic and enlightening overview of the UFO phenomenon that encompasses scientific, religious, and cultural examinations. While it stands alone as a comprehensive work, it also serves as a rich trove of sources for further research by those interested in all aspects of the phenomenon. Neutral in tone, it allows readers to explore the topic without the bias of either a skeptical or proselytizing author.

Ufology, god-talk and theology: an excerpt from The Lure of the Edge: Scientific Passions, Religious Beliefs, and the Pursuit of UFOs, by Brenda Denzler, ... An article from: Skeptic (Altadena, CA)

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Ufology, god-talk and theology: an excerpt from The Lure of the Edge: Scientific Passions, Religious Beliefs, and the Pursuit of UFOs, by Brenda Denzler, ... An article from: Skeptic (Altadena, CA)
Brenda Denzler
Manufacturer: Skeptics Society & Skeptic Magazine
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Skeptic (Altadena, CA), published by Skeptics Society & Skeptic Magazine on September 22, 2002. The length of the article is 6249 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Ufology, god-talk and theology: an excerpt from The Lure of the Edge: Scientific Passions, Religious Beliefs, and the Pursuit of UFOs, by Brenda Denzler, University of California Press, 2001. 295 pp. ISBN: 0-520-22432-9.(Excerpt)
Author: Brenda Denzler
Publication: Skeptic (Altadena, CA) (Refereed)
Date: September 22, 2002
Publisher: Skeptics Society & Skeptic Magazine
Volume: 9 Issue: 3 Page: 50(11)

Article Type: Excerpt

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