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This Way Up

When Maps Go Wrong (and Why it Matters)

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This Way Up

By: Map Men
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Summary

A SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

A Waterstones Best Nature & Travel Writing Book 2025

'Educational, smart and funny’ Richard Osman

‘This book is superb’ Charlie Brooker

‘Brilliant. Fascinating. Hilarious.’ Jonn Elledge, bestselling author of A History of the World in 47 Borders

The debut book from the YouTube sensation and all-round cartographical nerds, The Map Men!

Hello, we're the Map Men, and in the following pages we've selected what we believe to be some of the very best wrong maps. Some of them are decades old, some are centuries old and some are so recent they're being published today (or yesterday, if you’re reading this tomorrow).

They include world maps, colonial maps, corporate maps, Soviet maps, pioneer maps, news maps and maps whose intended use was hijacked for a French surrealist political movement in the 1950s. Whether you’re an avid map junkie or simply ‘map-curious’, you will uncover a unique tale of adventure, error and unexpected humour in each chapter, as we attempt to answer the question: ‘What on earth happened here?’

So, ditch the compass (or disable location services) and set out on a journey with us, the Map Men, into a world of cartographic chaos and mappy mishaps.

Because the worst maps are the best maps.

(P)2025 HarperCollins Publishers Best of 2025 Earth Sciences Politics & Government Science World Funny Witty Thought-Provoking Misadventure
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Critic reviews

‘Map Men’s unique and witty outlook translates brilliantly from their hilarious videos onto the page’ Matt Lucas

‘The funniest book on geography ever written’ Rufus Hound

'A gloriously entertaining look at how maps can get things – sometimes very big things – badly wrong’ Charlie Higson

‘The best book I’ve ever read (and not just because it’s the first)’ Michael Howe, author of Terrible Maps

All stars
Most relevant
an interesting and daft book at the same time, looking at how humans and maps have not worked and worked in our history of the world.

very interesting world of maps

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probably the most entertained I have been by an audiobook. if you like the mapmen YouTube then you'll love this. more interesting (and witty) map facts and map stories.

probably the best performance on audible

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A really great book with fantastic narration from Jay and Mark, a must listen for all fans of map men, maps, and everyone else who don’t fall into the first two categories.

A brilliant listen for map geeks and map geeks to be

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I’m no Richard Osman but I think this book is educational, smart and funny. Very enjoyable book

Great Maps

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after reading a review that found frustration with the performance I felt I had to leave a review. I love map men and everything both creators put their names to, yes it's not a standard, dry, standing read of an audiobook. it's so much more, it's hours of map men and both personalities shine. super interesting fresh, new topics. the accompanying PDF is great as I was not expecting this at all but for a book about maps it seems so obvious it should contain this! listened to this all on the day of release and it will definitely become an instant rotation to my collection. well done chaps, great work! and if you read this before or after the review about the performance give it more than one chapter! they have fun with a topic that could be so dry and dull and absolutely bring it to life!

thoroughly entertaining

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