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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
What would have been a marvellous book has been spoiled by cramming several maps on to one page at a time. Others disagree, but I think that being able to view the station names would have been an advantage, and I for one would have paid four times the cost of this book had it done so. Not everyone would of course.
The problem is compounded with schematic maps, where knowing the country's geography would not help you overcome the legibility issue. Legibilty was not considered by the author to be one of his criteria for inclusion of a map. Accordingly, I would consider that half the maps are illegible, although there are enough legible ones to make the book a good buy at the price.
Nevertheless, there are several gems included in this book and they are not to be found elsewhere with any ease. Some are design masterpieces, such as the curvilinear Tokyo area map.
Included is Harry Beck's unpublished 1938 map of the Underground and pre-nationalisation main line system, with some stations with the old names and some closed lines. Being a Londoner, this is the most relevant map to me in the whole book. Harry Beck's work was not appreciated at the time, but it is now recognised as one of the greatest contributions to public transport and design. I think he got paid five guineas for designing the tube map. Looking back at some of the awful maps I have of the 1960s produced by British Rail, you can see how far ahead of his time was Harry Beck. ATOC and TFL have only caught up with his 1938 map in the last five to ten years.
The problem is compounded with schematic maps, where knowing the country's geography would not help you overcome the legibility issue. Legibilty was not considered by the author to be one of his criteria for inclusion of a map. Accordingly, I would consider that half the maps are illegible, although there are enough legible ones to make the book a good buy at the price.
Nevertheless, there are several gems included in this book and they are not to be found elsewhere with any ease. Some are design masterpieces, such as the curvilinear Tokyo area map.
Included is Harry Beck's unpublished 1938 map of the Underground and pre-nationalisation main line system, with some stations with the old names and some closed lines. Being a Londoner, this is the most relevant map to me in the whole book. Harry Beck's work was not appreciated at the time, but it is now recognised as one of the greatest contributions to public transport and design. I think he got paid five guineas for designing the tube map. Looking back at some of the awful maps I have of the 1960s produced by British Rail, you can see how far ahead of his time was Harry Beck. ATOC and TFL have only caught up with his 1938 map in the last five to ten years.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Metro Maps of the World was not perfect, but highly enjoyable - Mark Ovenden used the same recipe here, but the result is sadly disappointing, .. just a far too easy collection of maps that are not even easily readable. It is not worth the price.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4 reviews
27 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Perfect for the map or railway fan
6 May 2011
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I have already purchased Mr. Ovenden's two previous titles, as I really love maps. I thought what he did in the "Transit Maps of the World" was brilliant, and I really like what he has done in "Railway Maps of the World". The book is again split into the development/ historical part and a gazetteer of all the places in the world that have railway networks. Just looking at the cover, with an image from the mythical Orient-Express, made me want more. It is fascinating to see how we have chosen to illustrate railways, ranging from the very traditional cartographic maps, to beautiful, almost three dimensional images. It is the kind of book that makes you yearn to set off on a train journey to see places near and far. It makes me regret the almost clinical nature of a flight, compared with a train journey. Looking at how extensive the railways were once in the USA, or Argentina or Ireland, for example, makes you realise how much potential we have lost. The map's of LA railways is a very telling one. Then to compare it with the ways the maps of China are filling out with railways, makes you really think about choices being made.
I really like the contrasting styles of maps, for example the juxtaposition of the images of a French board game from the 1920s depicting the railway lines of France and western Europe next to the ultra modern rail team map of the same area. The beautiful holiday posters that mixed maps and advertising are so evocative of another age that you can only get nostalgic.
I only regret that some of the maps are not bigger, despite the fact many maps fill an entire page, as the problem of shrinking an entire wall-sized poster down into a book means that on some examples you cannot quite see all the lush detail you might like and also with such a subject this book could easily be twice the size without you getting board.
The great thing about this book is you can read it from cover to cover, or just dip in and out. It is a book you would come back to. It is one of those books you keep on your shelf and take out from time to time, just because you feel like a browse, or you are thinking of going on a train trip somewhere, or just feel like dreaming of a more train friendly era.
I would not hesitate recommending this as a great gift or self-purchase for anyone interested in railways or mapping, or just anyone who loves to dream of travelling.
I really like the contrasting styles of maps, for example the juxtaposition of the images of a French board game from the 1920s depicting the railway lines of France and western Europe next to the ultra modern rail team map of the same area. The beautiful holiday posters that mixed maps and advertising are so evocative of another age that you can only get nostalgic.
I only regret that some of the maps are not bigger, despite the fact many maps fill an entire page, as the problem of shrinking an entire wall-sized poster down into a book means that on some examples you cannot quite see all the lush detail you might like and also with such a subject this book could easily be twice the size without you getting board.
The great thing about this book is you can read it from cover to cover, or just dip in and out. It is a book you would come back to. It is one of those books you keep on your shelf and take out from time to time, just because you feel like a browse, or you are thinking of going on a train trip somewhere, or just feel like dreaming of a more train friendly era.
I would not hesitate recommending this as a great gift or self-purchase for anyone interested in railways or mapping, or just anyone who loves to dream of travelling.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
A brilliant crossover between history and design
27 Oct 2011
Format:Hardcover
I bought this book not having a clear idea of what to expect, as I don't own any of Mark Ovenden's previous works.
First of all the format is perfect, slightly rectangular, large enough to feel plush yet not oversized.
The overall design is beautiful and crisp, contemporary yet with an attractive and appropriate touch of old-fashion style, which is reflected in the mat cover.
I found the contents of the book very interesting. There's a lot more information than one would expect. It's fascinating to follow the development of railways throughout the continents and time, while observing the changes in design of the maps.
Mark Ovenden manages to combine in a brilliant way the historical part and the graphic part in an uncommonly attractive and romantic approach.
The size of some of the maps would have deserve a larger size, as they sometimes feel crammed in one page. In spite of that I love this book. Whether you just browse through it and stop on a random page, or you read it from beginning to end, it's a relaxing and enchanting book.
I can only strongly recommend this addition to one's library.
First of all the format is perfect, slightly rectangular, large enough to feel plush yet not oversized.
The overall design is beautiful and crisp, contemporary yet with an attractive and appropriate touch of old-fashion style, which is reflected in the mat cover.
I found the contents of the book very interesting. There's a lot more information than one would expect. It's fascinating to follow the development of railways throughout the continents and time, while observing the changes in design of the maps.
Mark Ovenden manages to combine in a brilliant way the historical part and the graphic part in an uncommonly attractive and romantic approach.
The size of some of the maps would have deserve a larger size, as they sometimes feel crammed in one page. In spite of that I love this book. Whether you just browse through it and stop on a random page, or you read it from beginning to end, it's a relaxing and enchanting book.
I can only strongly recommend this addition to one's library.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
falls short compared to his Transit book
19 Nov 2011
Whereas the author's Transit Maps of the World is fantastic, this was a huge letdown. I found all the maps in general to be way to hard to read. The fonts were either too small or the reproduction were not great.
I also found the organization of the book odd given the excellent way Mark Ovenden laid out the Transit book from large systems down to smaller ones so a good chunk of the main transit systems of the world forms the core of the book. the railway book does none of that is more history than a up-to-date look at Railways around the world through maps.
I also found the organization of the book odd given the excellent way Mark Ovenden laid out the Transit book from large systems down to smaller ones so a good chunk of the main transit systems of the world forms the core of the book. the railway book does none of that is more history than a up-to-date look at Railways around the world through maps.
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