The world in a book (Times Concise Atlas of the World: Concise)

Member Name: northers

Product:	Times Concise Atlas of the World: Concise
Date:	02/04/09 (323 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Well presented, easy to use

Disadvantages: Perhaps too big for some bookcases?

With two increasingly inquisitive children I recently decided that it was high time we bought an atlas. After a short period of deliberation I decided upon the Tenth Edition of The Times Concise Atlas of the World. It's already proved its worth, as my six year old son has recently come home from School with a project that was made all the more enjoyable having this excellent atlas at our fingertips.

Arriving at your choice of Times Atlas is not easy. There is not one version from each edition, but seven! The collection ranges in size from the Comprehensive version, all the way through to the Mini World atlas. The Concise edition is the second largest in the collection, although I think the word 'concise' suggests a smaller book, with less information than is actually contained within this beautifully presented all-inclusive volume.

The first thing that grabs you is the protective sleeve that the atlas comes in. I try to keep my books in as good condition as possible, but with two young children this represents something of a challenge, but I am sure the sleeve will do a good job. As you slide the atlas out for the first time and open it up the quality hits you immediately; the book is an inch or so larger than A4, hardback and has a well designed dustcover.

After the contents section a number of satellite images of each of the continents greets the reader. These images are truly spectacular, showing each continent in vivid colour, my favourite being Antarctica, which from space has a rather benign look to it. The image shows lilac hues bouncing off the ice sheets below, a far cry from the desolate inhospitable region we know it to be.

The previously described satellite images are a prelude to a geographical section that contains a wealth of information about our world, from climate information through population charts to mineral distribution. The information is well presented, in full colour and even includes a potted history of the evolution of mapping. This section finishes with an alphabetical list of all 194 recognised countries of the world, giving a short description of each nation and a few relevant facts. This part has proved invaluable recently, providing useful background information for a recent school project.

Forming the main part of the atlas, naturally, are 260 pages of mapping, providing the reader with an amazingly detailed view of the world. Each continent is given its own section, depicted initially in political form, outlining each country; very useful for budding geographers. Continents are then mapped out in great detail in a range of different scales. One of the main reasons I bought this atlas was to have an up to date view on some of the more changeable parts of the world. Areas such as the Balkans and the Caucasus, the latter constantly in flux with the Russian Federation, are now current. Previously, the nearest I had to an atlas was a dusty old tome that included the now-defunct USSR.

The atlas finishes with a large index, with innumerable entries and cross-references. I can't eulogise endlessly about this section. It's an index. Suffice it to say, if there is somewhere in the world you want to find, you will locate it here.

I regard the Tenth Edition of The Times Concise Atlas of the World as one of the most important and satisfying purchases I have made in a long time. The information contained within is delightfully presented, being concise, factual and a joy to read. The book represents fantastic value for money at £30 from Amazon, although I picked this copy up for an unbelievable £15 from The Book People, which I think is an absolute steal.

There will undoubtedly be some nay-sayers that believe the atlas is dead, and that with the advent of online mapping, the humble book has become an anachronism, but I say there is nothing better than having something in your hand, to leaf through on your own or with somebody else. Google maps and the like have their place, granted, especially if you are on the move or need to manipulate information the way only the internet can, but as far as I am concerned there will always be a place for opening a book and delighting in what lay within.

Summary: The only atlas you will need