The Library of Lost Maps: An Archive of a World in Progress

by James Cheshire

From renowned geographer James Cheshire, a four-color tour through a forgotten collection of maps that shaped over 200 years of Western history.
Tucked just beyond a clutter of offices and a lecture hall in the heart of London, there lies a turquoise door. Years ago, James Cheshire stepped through and was astonished by what he thousands of maps and atlases, bulging from wooden drawers and glass cabinets. It was a map library-an Aladdin's cave of cartographic treasures.

In The Library of Lost Maps, Cheshire transports us to the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, when the maps before him were wielded for war and used to negotiate during peace; when the charts housed in the library traced, for the first time, the icy peaks of the Himalayas and the deepest depths of the ocean. Maps have played a vital role in shaping our scientific knowledge of the world, inspiring the theory of plate tectonics and showing the impacts of climate change. They have also guided politicians, encouraging both beneficial reforms and horrific conquests, the consequences of which we continue to live with today.

Brimming with surprising discoveries and stunning four-color map reproductions, The Library of Lost Maps unveils the power of maps to remind us of our past and inspire us toward a better future.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

384 pages, Hardcover

Published November 4, 2025

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of the audiobook through Libro.FM and Pop Fiction Bookstore, an independent and woman-owned bookstore.

Lost Maps was wonderful. Poignant, deeply thoughtful, smart, and full of fascinating little facts that will plague everyone as you bring them up to speed.

Sure we need GIS and satellite mapping tools have become so deeply entwined with all our technology, but we need our history and the context of where we are to see where we are going as well. We need to continue mapping the seabed. We need to understand the geographical impacts of poverty. We need to be smart enough to identify how maps and places are used for political rhetoric. This is a great book on getting us thinking and talking about these things.

What I am sitting with now are thought about the change to the Gulf of American (ugh) and Instagram green lighting location sharing and wondering what kind of woman would use such a terrible thing in this second decade of social media, and the Pokemon Go accusations of geo-caching spots as intel, true or not, all things are data and data is power. This book will have me thinking of such things for a long time, and for that impact alone (on top of great writing and audio delivery) five-stars.

[Peter Tillman]

WSJ review: https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/book...
(Paywalled. As always, I'm happy to email a copy to non-subscribers)
Excerpt:
"Mr. Cheshire profiles Bruce Heezen and Marie Tharp, who dedicated their professional lives to mapping the entirety of the ocean floor in partnership with National Geographic magazine and, later, the U.S. Office of Naval Research. The resulting 1978 masterpiece—sublimely detailed and marvelously strange in its presentation of unseen ridges, troughs and endless plains—reflected the newly established theories of plate tectonics and continental drift. After coming across Heezen and Tharp’s work in the map room’s “oceans” drawer, Mr. Cheshire traveled to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., to see the original, waiting in delighted suspense for the hand-painted map to be brought up from the vaults. He writes that he “spent three joyful hours” pouring over its extraordinary contours and terrain."

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is informative about maps across time, but more importantly, it is great fun to read. The passion of the author, James Cheshire, for all things maps, is infectious. When he describes a map, it is more than how "accurate" it was. He appreciates the artistry and skill of the map maker, the arduous procedure of creating a map and then duplicating it, the unique information the map provides, and the worlds the map reveals. All of this is placed into the historical context so maps for one purpose were often used for others, such as tourist maps being used for military or espionage campaigns. You will have a new and greater appreciation for maps after reading this wonderful book.

[alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with the author’s other books, this was so interesting and digestible even with some of the more academic chapters. It has such great insight and I learned something new in each section. It’s a must for anyone who loves maps and geography but there are also some lovely anecdotal tidbits that add a personal and human touch. The hardcover is also gorgeous- the cover but also the high res printed maps, which makes it easy to refer to while reading.

Thank you to the author for an ARC.

[KG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely book. Written by a digital mapping expert who found an interest in paper maps upon discovering the map library, it’s full of scans and photos of some amazing finds. But this book is far more than just “Here’s a great map, and here’s another great map”. It’s also about what happens when other map libraries close down, and how items of historical and educational value are sometimes thrown away, or are at risk of it. He gets us to think about how any items of value are at risk of being discarded if the people handling them don’t realise their importance.

[J Earl · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Library of Lost Maps by James Cheshire is an engrossing and attractive book that conveys his love of maps as well as everything one can learn from maps.

Cheshire's excitement and love of maps and geography is infectious in this wonderful book. If you have moved or traveled very much in your life you have probably developed a fondness for maps. Ratchet that up several levels and that is where you will be after reading this.

From his own personal recollections about collecting and using maps to the stories behind many of the maps in the library, this book is a fascinating collection of the various uses maps have had and continue to have. While we often think of maps as something that simply tells us where places are in relation to other places, Cheshire highlights not just physical geography but human geography as well in explaining the importance of these maps and how they were used before being filed away.

The illustrations are amazing and some of the anecdotes will have you searching online for other maps and stories using key words and names from the book. I have to admit, I enjoy going down rabbit holes online with many of the books I read, and enjoy every time I do, but this was especially fun. Okay, maybe more fun for me than some of my friends, I kept bringing maps up and without having read the book they didn't seem to care as much. But at least a couple of them are going to buy copies, so maybe I'll have someone to share my new interest with. Maybe one of them will even buy me a copy.

Highly recommended not just for cartography and geography lovers but anyone in any subject that might use maps, from history and the social sciences to geology, biology and most of the other sciences.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book for free from a Goodreads giveaway. Even though I’m not much for geography and have never read a book about maps, the synopsis and cover drew me to enter the giveaway. It’s hard to rate non fiction, especially on topics I dabble in (vs topics I deep dive into). But for being a book about maps, I found it interesting and visually fun. I even read parts to my 11yo. Probably a 4 ⭐️ and folks who know more about the subject may have specific critiques, I thought it was better than I expected it to be.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure what I expected from this, but there was a lot more WWII and Nazis than I needed. While the information is useful and somewhat interesting to a layperson, I guess I was expecting something more esoteric. I liked best the descriptions of the ocean floor maps, and how they were created and hand-painted. There is a valuable message here, about what will be lost if old maps are lost, and I do think it would be a great idea to have a museum of maps somewhere. Thanks to Libro.FM for a free educator copy of the audiobook.

[Castra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a nerd for navigation's dream! Talk about seeing the world through a different lens or rather map. The author takes historical events and gives you a glimpse into what the world "looked" like during that time by comparing them with old maps. It is definately a humbling idea. Littered with stunning pictures of maps, obviously, this one is a wonderful book for those who love all things adventure but also academic.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was interesting! As someone who LOVES a map, this was fun too! 🤩 Every book should have a map. 🗺️ After learning the Library of Lost Maps actually exists, I’m ready to make a trip to London. I can’t believe it was ever forgotten! This makes me want to go flip through an Atlas.

Lucky for me, I could even look at the books he was referencing while listening! An interactive book if you will 🤩

Out today!!

[Melissa Ramon · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a book that's awfully niche, this was a pleasure. I'm more of a historian, less of a geographer, but the writing was accessible, and just-detailed-enough to keep interest high. The audio presentation was charming.

[The Book Adventurer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very interesting and informative. I've had a fascination with maps since I was a child, but this book made me look at them in a different way.