Mapping America's Past

Finally, a historical atlas with the imagination to look beyond the requisite but unilluminating maps of wars, battles, and westward expansion to the rich territory of social history. Urban sprawl and white flight, ethnic politics, prostitution, the death penalty, segregation, civil rights, and many others all put in an appearance here. Some of the maps, while seemingly provincial in their coverage (WPA projects in Erie, PA, for example) are effectively used to illustrate broader points about the geography of American history. My only complaint is that in quite a few places, some sloppy editing (mistaken keys, mismarked captions, etc.) has marred the otherwise excellent cartography.

A highly satisfying review of historical topics.I'm often able to read only in 20-minute bites; every spread of this book is a self-contained history lesson, accessible in 20 minutes but worth revisiting many times. Most important topics and events of American history are covered well, and the rendering of complex information (e.g. the six gauges of railroad in 1850 and how this incompatablity affected commerce, population and political power) is truly inspired. This is a superb gift for an American history buff.