This is a short post about Paulina Rowińska’s Mapmatics: How We Navigate the World Through Numbers. Who is this book for? What did it teach me? Read on to find out.

In the past two months, I read not one, but two news stories about two new map projections. Each of these reports was similar in tone and they both made similar claims: all the maps in the past were inaccurate, but now, thanks to this new map right here, we might be getting close to having this map problem of ours sorted.

The maps looked completely different each time, and each of them was hyped as “finally, the perfect map”. This should already be enough to make you stop and think. They can’t both be perfect while being so dissimilar, can they? If you’re in the mood for more meditations and discussions like these, then you definitely need to read Paulina Rowińska’s Mapmatics.

What is this book like?

No map exists without numbers and maths. Sooner or later, any map anyone makes will need to start tackling calculations and mathematical problems. And when the map is finished, the need for maths doesn’t stop, either.

In Mapmatics, Paulina Rowińska explores this relationship between maps and mathematics. The book is a readable blend of scientific accounts, historical explorations, with plenty of illustrations and some calculations thrown in for good measure. I am not an expert on either maths or cartography - my interest is that of an amateur enthusiast. I was able to make my way through most of this book with great interest and without confusion.

Mapmatics does a brilliant job of showing us how powerful maps really are. They help us navigate the increasingly complex everyday landscapes, map the unknown, and represent things the way we want others to see them. The author is aware of how a map works in our world: affecting our perception of space, maths, psychology, and politics. She uses stories and expert voices from each of these areas to make us appreciate mapmaking, and math-making, all over again.

What did this book teach me?

I read Mapmatics while I was taking a break from a big maths educational project. I thought the timing wasn’t perfect (maths should have been the last thing on my mind!). Paulina Rowińska’s book proved me wrong: the first thing it showed me was how to write great maths stories.

Yes, there are parts of this book that I skipped. No, it didn’t help me get over my “Cs” in Maths or Geography. That’s not why I read it though. The other benefit of Mapmatics was in how it helped me see the connections between the subject areas it explores. I can now return to the news stories I mentioned at the start, and read them more critically, seeing through the hype and questioning the reporters’ assumptions.

Mapmatics is definitely a bit of an eye-opener. If maps aren’t what they seem - if each map is so deeply affected by maths, politics, psychology, history - then what else is there? What other stories, images, arrangements would start to reveal their secrets if we look closely? This Christmas, I definitely needed a book that would help my curiosity emerge from its hibernation. This was the one.

Who is this book for?

This book won’t necessarily help you get better maths scores on your tests. And it may not help you build your first map, either. Similarly, if you are a maths or maps expert, this may not be anything new (although you’re still likely to appreciate the multidisciplinary way in which the subject areas are represented).

Mapmatics is a perfect gift for the slightly geeky people in your life. My sailor friends would love it - I remember we learned navigation together. The engineers / designers in my family might appreciate it for the way it treats the subjects they’re dealing with on a daily basis.

And it may be just what your educator friends need, too. After we leave school, maths becomes a tricky, elusive thing. Books like Mapmatics do a great job of showing is the importance of mathematical decisions: just because numbers aren’t there for us to crunch, doesn’t mean they were never there to begin with. And if someone did the number-crunching for us, it helps to know their motivations, too. I wish more maths teachers had the time to teach that.

Mapmatics by Paulina Rowińska is published by Picador and available now.

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Hi, my name is Vic. I am a Learning Designer, Digital Producer and Translator (PL-ENG-PL) currently based in Wales. My professional interests include instructional design for lifelong learning, serious games, low-tech digital learning solutions, and translation/transcreation for the video game industry. I’m always happy to discuss new projects. To get in touch, you can email me or set up a video call.