A sparkling exploration of direction, by the acclaimed author of A History of the World in 12 Maps North, south, east and west: almost all societies use the four cardinal directions to orientate themselves, to understand who they are by projecting where they are. For millennia, these four directions have been foundational to our travel, navigation and exploration and are central to the imaginative, moral and political geography of virtually every culture in the world. Yet they are far more subjective and various - sometimes ...
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A sparkling exploration of direction, by the acclaimed author of A History of the World in 12 Maps North, south, east and west: almost all societies use the four cardinal directions to orientate themselves, to understand who they are by projecting where they are. For millennia, these four directions have been foundational to our travel, navigation and exploration and are central to the imaginative, moral and political geography of virtually every culture in the world. Yet they are far more subjective and various - sometimes contradictory - than we might realize. The Four Points of the Compass takes the reader on a journey of directional discovery. Jerry Brotton reveals why Hebrew culture privileges east; why Renaissance Europeans began drawing north at the top of their maps; why the early Islam revered the south; why the Aztecs used five colour-coded cardinal directions; and why no societies, primitive or modern, have ever orientated themselves westwards. He ends by reflecting on our digital age in which we, the little blue dot on the screen, have become the most important compass point. Throughout, Brotton shows that the directions reflect a human desire to create order and that they only have meaning, literally and metaphorically, depending on where you stand.
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Add this copy of Four Points of the Compass: The Unexpected History of to cart. $19.10, new condition, Sold by GreatBookPrices rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Columbia, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2024 by Atlantic Monthly Press.
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New. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 224 p. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
Add this copy of Four Points of the Compass: The Unexpected History of to cart. $19.11, new condition, Sold by Ingram Customer Returns Center rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NV, USA, published 2024 by Atlantic Monthly Press.
Add this copy of Four Points of the Compass: The Unexpected History of to cart. $21.45, new condition, Sold by ShopSpell rated 3.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Califon, NJ, UNITED STATES, published 2024 by Atlantic Monthly Press.
Add this copy of Four Points of the Compass: The Unexpected History of to cart. $22.36, new condition, Sold by booksXpress, ships from Bayonne, NJ, UNITED STATES, published 2024 by Atlantic Monthly Press.
Add this copy of Four Points of the Compass: the Unexpected History of to cart. $27.00, new condition, Sold by Blacks Bookshop rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Argillite, KY, UNITED STATES, published by Atlantic Monthly Press.
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New in New jacket. FIRST PRINTING. Features: Price on Product. Physical Info: 1.1" H x 8.4" L x 5.5" W (0.95 lbs) 224 pages. Email seller at time of purchase if you would like this DJ in clear mylar free of charge. Secure ship in cardboard w/track #. From the New York Times bestselling author of A History of the World in 12 Maps, this is the revelatory history of the four cardinal directions that have oriented and defined our place on the globe for millennia. North, south, east, and west: almost all societies use these four cardinal directions to orientate themselves and to understand who they are by projecting where they are. For millennia, these four directions have been foundational to our travel, navigation, and exploration, and are central to the imaginative, moral, and political geography of virtually every culture in the world. Yet they are far more subjective--and sometimes contradictory--than we might realize. Four Points of the Compass leads us on a journey of directional discovery. Societies have understood and defined directions in very different ways based on their locations in time and space. Historian Jerry Brotton reveals why Hebrew culture privileges east; why Renaissance Europeans began drawing north at the top of their maps; why early Islam revered the south; why the Aztecs used five color-coded cardinal directions; and why no societies, primitive or modern, have ever orientated themselves westwards. In doing so, politically-loaded but widely used terms such as the "Middle East, " the "Global South, " the "West Indies, " the "Orient, " and even the "western world" take on new meanings. Who decided on these terms and what do they mean for geopolitics? How have directions like "east" and "west" taken on the status of cultural identities--or more accurately stereotypes? Yet today, because of GPS capability, cardinal points are less relevant. Online, we place ourselves at the center of the map as little blue dots moving across geospatial apps; we have become the most important compass point, though in the process we've disconnected ourselves from the natural world. Imagining what future changes technology may impose, Jerry Brotton skillfully reminds us how crucial the four cardinal directions have been to everyone who has ever walked our planet. For anyone interested in history, geography, or surprising new ways to think about the world at large, Four Points of the Compass will be a stimulating experience.
Add this copy of Four Points of the Compass: The Unexpected History of to cart. $27.29, new condition, Sold by GreatBookPrices rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Columbia, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2024 by Allen Lane.
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New. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
