Map Addict

Map Addict: A Tale of Obsession, Fudge & the Ordnance Survey

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At a stroke, they convey precise information about topography, layout, history, politics and power. They are the unsung heroes of life: Map Addict sings their song. There are some fine, dry tomes out there about the history and development of cartography: Map Addict mixes wry observation with hard fact and considerable research, unearthing the offbeat, the unusual and the downright pedantic in a celebration of all things maps.

In Map Addict, we learn the location of what has officially been named by the OS as the most boring square kilometre in the land; we visit the town fractured into dozens of little parcels of land split between two different countries and trek around many other weird borders of Britain and Europe; we test the theories that the new city of Milton Keynes was built to a pagan alignment and that women can't read maps. Combining history, travel, politics, memoir and oblique observation in a highly readable, and often very funny, style, Mike Parker confesses how his own impressive map collection was founded on a virulent teenage shoplifting habit, ponders how a good leftie can be so gung-ho about British cartographic imperialism and wages a one-man war against the moronic blandishments of the Sat Nav age.

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Please note that your username is an e-mail address. Download your e-book s from your bookshelf. Electronic book text Quantity: Specialty Booksellers Interest-specific online venues will often provide a book buying opportunity. International Customers If you are located outside the U. There, it's said…' Maps not only show the world, they help it turn. Mike Parker is 'a marvellous guide: Astounding by Alec Nevala-Lee.

DoNotDisturb by Jedediah Bila.

Nashville by Ann Patchett , Heidi Ross. The Times Great War Letters: Correspondence during the First World War. Rebel Talent by Francesca Gino. Future Presence by Peter Rubin. I admire the beauty of a perfect upperclass family, but sometimes the left seems more carefree. I'm an Internets writer. Feb 15, Judith Rich rated it it was amazing Shelves: I'm a girl who can read a road atlas and one of my favourite books as a child was a picture atlas.

Map Addict

I also live in Southampton, so his dreams of Maybush being lovely then turning out to be "Coventry with seagulls" was hilarious and horribly accurate! I have noticed a number of reviews here and elsewhere which highlight their dislike of Parker hammering home his homosexuality. I did not find this - I think he's just not hiding it and why should he - after all, this book is really a memoir. He mentions his partner quite often, but then Bill Bryson mentions his wife in his books.

MAP ADDICT: A TALE OF OBSESSION, FUDGE & THE ORDNANCE SURVEY BY MIKE PARKER (Collins £12.99)

I don't understand what's wrong with that. BTW, as a person who reads maps for fun - you can't read a satnav for fun. Yes, I use a satnav when I'm driving, but I wouldn't be without my road atlas. It's not the same. And I like the size of a paper map rather than one on an iPad. If you don't get this, maybe this isn't the book for you. Oct 01, AJW rated it really liked it Shelves: The ratings average of Mike Parker's book at the time of writing this was 3. I thought I was a map addict, but I'm a dilettante compared to the author and the even more fanatical map addicts referred to within his book.

The style of writing is informal, blending history, facts, trivia, anecdotes and autobiography. Then there are interesting trivia, like Jungholz, an enclave of Austria that is only joined to the mother country by a single point, the summit of a mountain.

Scattering throughout this mine of cartographic information are personal anecdotes that become more prominent in the final part of the book which reads like a personal odyssey. I didn't mind this as the author is amusing, honest and thoughtful. Apr 26, Daniel rated it did not like it.

I just couldn't get in to this book at all;I tried, got as far as page 33 but it wasn't for me. You are a fellow-mappie, we are of one flesh. If, on the other hand it's got you thinking, 'What a ridiculous over-reaction: I'd advise you to put this book down and walk away from it before it begins seriously t Ok confession time!

Now I love both a good factual travel journal, and a rant on the way 'things used to be! Maybe it gets better, guess I'll never know! Have you ever read one of those books that you enjoyed the subject matter, but didn't care for the author's voice? Map Addict was definitely one of those for me. I liked the story of the Ordnance Survey I still have OS maps from my trip to England as souvenirs, so I'm definitely the target audience! It occurred to me that the author has a "one-way" Have you ever read one of those books that you enjoyed the subject matter, but didn't care for the author's voice?

It occurred to me that the author has a "one-way" personality; perhaps being a radio host he's used to being the source of information without having to open his mind to other possibilities. Too often we're "treated" to the author's political leanings, personal predilections, somewhat condescending views on stereotypes regarding women and maps, disdain for navigational and cartographic technology, etc. I picked this book up at one of my favourite of all book stores: Stanfords Covent Garden, London. Maps fascinate me so there was an immediate draw to this book, despite never having read anything by Mike Parker before.

I've seen a few bad reviews of this book. These seem to be by people who wanted even more focus on maps - and less coverage, perhaps, of the author's deeply personal and often very funny, poignant and nostalgic relationship with maps. But that's what make I picked this book up at one of my favourite of all book stores: But that's what makes this book wonderfully entertaining.

There's a ton of historical and factual information on maps themselves particularly the UK's Ordnance Survey series of maps so I suspect only the truly map-obsessed would find such detail wanting. What's most appealing about this book is the how well the author treats the topic of the influence and effects - be they practical or emotional - of maps on us, the map readers.

I couldn't help but draw parallels no pun intended! This was a very enjoyable read. As a map lover not addict I enjoyed many of the asides and interesting details in the book. I understood the desire to relate a map to the real ground, and have also been told off on holiday for being too fixed to the map! I don't know where the fudge in the sub-title comes from though.

Sep 03, Leigh rated it it was ok Shelves: I should have loved this book, and its early moments of laugh-out-loud recognition certainly boded extremely well. But the author soon began imposing his acerbic opinions — about anything from middle-England Tories to Julie Burchill, via Lewis Carrol's suspected proclivities now, I'm no fan of any of those people, but I don't want to read snidery in a book about maps. Whatever enjoyment I might have had after that was curtailed as I tiptoed forward, wary of what nastiness would come next.

Othe I should have loved this book, and its early moments of laugh-out-loud recognition certainly boded extremely well. Other things I didn't want to read included: A good book, spoiled. Dec 30, Steve rated it it was amazing. A fascinating romp through one man's obsession with maps. Touched many a chord with me. A little tired of his sycophancy towards Ordnance Survey whose maps I hugely admire by the end. Very interested in the backstory to the choice of Greenwich as THE meridian.

And the carto erotica section was well good - particularly the angle of the dangle story about Kintyre and film censorship. Personally disappointed that a book published in acknowledged the major changes afoot even at OS , yet didn A fascinating romp through one man's obsession with maps.

Map Addict (Mike Parker) - book review

Personally disappointed that a book published in acknowledged the major changes afoot even at OS , yet didn't once mention OpenStreetMap. On list to potentially invite to speak at Society of Cartographers conference this year a former stand-up comedian to boot. Jul 01, Rachel rated it it was ok Shelves: Being a self-confessed map addict I to own the whole Landranger OS collection , I was very intrigued by this book. Subsequently I feel let down. It was a challenge to finish the book and I had to force myself to read chapter a night in order to complete the book as I had paid good money for it.

Not an enjoyable read for me. Some of the criticisms of this book centre on the author's wondering from the history of the OS and map, and focusing on his own story. I don't mind this so ,much and I think that the book should be seen as semi-autobiographical. I also have a love for map and enjoyed the history of them and Parker's anecdotes and stories.

But the one thing that let this book down is the distinct paucity of pictures!

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The few pictures that are featured in the book must cover no more than about half of the maps dis Some of the criticisms of this book centre on the author's wondering from the history of the OS and map, and focusing on his own story. The few pictures that are featured in the book must cover no more than about half of the maps discussed and I found myself having to Google a lot of the maps described. Feb 19, Jane rated it it was amazing. What a tremendous book. As I read the introduction and the author explained his life-long love of maps, I was chortling with laughter as I identified myself.

I have not ever collected maps for the sake of it but my first action when visiting somewhere new is always to buy the map! The book explores the history of maps and much more besides and I would highly recommend it to anyone who, like me, can happily spend an hour poring over an Ordnance Survey map or lose the occasional morning to Google What a tremendous book.

The book explores the history of maps and much more besides and I would highly recommend it to anyone who, like me, can happily spend an hour poring over an Ordnance Survey map or lose the occasional morning to Google Earth. Dec 13, Snicketts rated it liked it Shelves: Being a lover of maps myself, I thought this would be interesting and relevant, and it was both but not in the way I hoped. There's a lot of coverage about maps being a male thing which made me uncomfortable and the whole book has a blokeish, slightly political edge to it that left me cold.

There're some good anecdotes and a nice overview of the history of mapping but despite really wanting to like it it's MAPS and people who love them! Mar 17, Sally rated it did not like it. I don't know what I expected from this book but I didn't get it. I love maps and, contrary to gender stereotypes, I know how to read them. I tried to identify with the author but in the end I could only see the differences and not the similarities.

Although there were a few bits in it that were interesting there weren't enough of them to keep me interested. I did plough on to the end, but it was hard work. Aug 12, David rated it liked it Shelves: I've said 3 here. I really wanted to give it a 3. The book is a part autobiography, part history of ordnance survey, part travel book, and part personal rambling. Most of the chapters are very interesting and most would stand very well on their own. The last chapter on going without maps was probably the best there. Not a book I would jump up and down about but interesting none the less.

Jan 22, Sally rated it did not like it. I was really excited to read this, based on little more than the fact that I love maps. But I found this pretty boring and didn't even end up finishing it. Might just be a problem with my attention span, since the author does have a lot of information on the subject of maps British maps in particular.

It's a shame he doesn't organize it a bit more, or it might be a decent history guide, but the autobiographical tone ends up kind of ruining it.

Map Addict : A Tale of Obsession, Fudge & the Ordnance Survey

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Books by Mike Parker. See All Goodreads Deals…. Trivia About Map Addict: No trivia or quizzes yet. Quotes from Map Addict: Ever since I can remember, I have spent stolen moments, wasted evenings and secret hours studying the mystery and beauty of the Ordnance Survey maps of these islands. The concrete trig points that had originally been used in their creation became almost as powerful in mystical properties for me as standing stones.

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