Spread across 350 pages lies over 300 finely illustrated maps from across the world representing some 5,000 years of history. From forgotten US Government maps to 60's era automotive travel itineraries and essays by experts argueing the need to explore sans-GPS, the hefty hardback is a well deserving of a rotation on the coffee table.

Rather than be written by a single author, MAP is the collective work of a team of international cartographers, academics, historians and rare map collectors. Now, if you don't trust that lot, neither we nor Phaidon can help you.