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Best World Atlases & Maps

National Geographic Atlas of the World, Tenth Edition
Marking the 100th anniversary of National Geographic cartography, this prestigious reference is the essential guide to understanding today's interconnected world. A portion of all National Geographic proceeds is used to fund exploration, conservation, and education through ongoing contributions to the work of the National Geographic Society.
Reviews
"I previously bought the National Geographic "Family Reference Atlas of the World", which was big enough to impress people that you have a big atlas on the coffee table, but not big enough to actually FIND any historical locations you are interested in."
"This was a gift, and I am thrilled how fabulous this NG Atlas actually is."
"I have compared, the map for Suriname is even less detailed than my micro pocket atlas which costs only 0.8 USD."
"I picked this as a Christmas gift for my nieces and nephews."
"I could not be more pleased!"
"Absolutely stunning book!"
"I bought this book for my mom and she loves it."
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Rand McNally Signature Map of the World, 50 x 32-Inch
Updated and redesigned, Rand McNally's Signature World wall map features eye-catching bold and vivid colors that make this the perfect reference piece sure to stand out in any home, classroom or office.
Reviews
"", and it applies to a lot of countries on this map, previous version was better because it had full country names."
"Great map and quality."
"I ordered it to put up in my bedroom and put pins where I've visited, and it's perfect!!"
"I purchased this map to decoupage a dresser that had grown ugly to me."
"It is a decent product for low price."
"This map is a great value for the price and is much higher quality than I expected."
"I love this, I have it on my wall for my children to learn."
"Nice large map, good vibrant colors etc."
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The World Atlas of Coffee: From Beans to Brewing -- Coffees Explored, Explained and Enjoyed
It shows the origins of coffee -- where it is grown, the people who grow it; and the cultures in which coffee is a way of life -- and the world of consumption -- processing, grades, the consumer and the modern culture of coffee. The history of coffee generally and regionally The role of colonialism (for example, in Burundi under colonial rule of Belgium, coffee production was best described as coercive. Americans consume 400 million cups of coffee per day, equivalent to 146 billion cups of coffee per year, making the United States the leading consumer of coffee in the world. For the coffee geek if you don't know the difference between the coffee varieties Arabica and Robusta, if you're wondering how coffee cultivation in Ethiopia differs from that in Costa Rica, if you're confused about the myriad methods of brewing coffee, you won't find a better resource than "The World Atlas of Coffee: From Beans to Brewing--Coffees Explored, Explained and Enjoyed". Coffee tasting bars are springing up everywhere along with coffee tourism--learn where it comes from and why it tastes a certain way. This last word on coffee provides maps, beautiful photography, taste profiles and great new ways to enjoy coffee! Designed with gorgeous photography and an eye to draw readers through the sometimes bewildering process of brewing a simple cup of coffee, The World Atlas of Coffee is a book you'll spend as much time looking at as reading. Hoffman focuses on specialty coffees: those "defined by their quality and by how good they taste" and discusses in fascinating detail how different varieties of coffee produce their own unique flavors, aromas, and commercial value. The book is divided into three beautifully illustrated sections that cover the process of growing and processing coffee, the numerous ways to grind, roast, and brew it, and the geographical and historical origins of the many types of drinkable black gold. One of the world's favorite beverages is dissected in this encyclopedia that introduces the coffee plant and its harvesting, processing, and trade and discusses the buying and preparation of the drink before embarking on a world coffee tour. It seeks to provide information on where coffee is grown, the people who grow it, and the coffee culture at large. The book begins with an introduction to coffee and the process of getting from the bean to the cup.
Reviews
"I'm also in the process of studying for my Q Grader cert and this book is the best to get started."
"A good reference book, if incomplete."
"Really cool and interesting book about coffee."
"I love the regional geographic details and description."
"Everything you need to know in one book!"
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Best Travel Atlases & Maps

Atlas Obscura: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders
Talk about a bucket list: here are natural wonders—the dazzling glowworm caves in New Zealand, or a baobob tree in South Africa that's so large it has a pub inside where 15 people can drink comfortably. Not to mention the Great Stalacpipe Organ in Virginia, Turkmenistan's 40-year hole of fire called the Gates of Hell, a graveyard for decommissioned ships on the coast of Bangladesh, eccentric bone museums in Italy, or a weather-forecasting invention that was powered by leeches, still on display in Devon, England. “Fair warning: It's addictive.” — NPR, “Cosmos & Culture” “In this gorgeous collection, the celebrated Atlas Obscura website is condensed into 480 pages of awe-inspiring destinations. “Odds are you won’t get past three pages without being amazed at something truly strange that you didn’t know existed.” — San Francisco Chronicle. “Richly illustrated, delightfully strange, this compendium of off-beat destinations should spark many adventures, both terrestrial and imaginary.” — Boston Globe. “Whether describing a Canadian museum that showcases world history through shoes, a pet-casket company that will also sell you a unit for your severed limb, a Greek snake festival, or a place in the Canary Islands where inhabitants communicate through whistling, the authors have compiled an enthralling range of oddities. Featuring full-color illustrations, this hefty and gorgeously produced tome will be eagerly pored over by readers of many ages and fans of the original website.”— Booklist (Starred Review). a wonderful browse [for] armchair travelers who enjoyed Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York and Frank Warren’s PostSecret .” — Library Journal. It's the kind of book that makes you want to pack in your workaday life and head out to places you'd never have dreamed of going, to see things you could not even have imagined. “ Atlas Obscura is a joyful antidote to the creeping suspicion that travel these days is little more than a homogenized corporate shopping opportunity. Here are hundreds of surprising, perplexing, mind-blowing, inspiring reasons to travel a day longer and farther off the path. Never start a trip without knowing where a haunted hotel or a mouth of hell is!”. —GUILLERMO DEL TORO, filmmaker, Pan’s Labyrinth “ What a strange and wonderful book! Each page reveals some hidden realm—a realm that is frightening, or funny, or magical, or simply mad, but that always leaves the reader in wonder.”. —DAVID GRANN, author of The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon. Be grateful when visiting the Karni Mata Rat Temple if one of the 20,000 venerated rodents runs across your bare foot—it is considered good luck.
Reviews
"Revel in the places that you've seen!"
"I read a short description of the book in the travel section of the SF Chronicle a few weeks ago, and made the purchase based on that. That said, there are items about things I have no interest in seeing, e.g., “Lake Monsters of the USA,” but there don’t seem to be many of that sort of thing included. As with "Lake Monsters," even if you (or a recipient) aren't likely to visit many of the places described, I think for many curious people this would make for an interesting read even without the travel element. It's not a perfect book, and I don't think any one book can be perfect for all readers, but I do think it's very good and I can easily recommend it for anyone who might be potentially interested."
"This book exceeded my already higher-than-average expectations."
"We purchased it for our 19 year old grandson."
"Such a fascinating book!"
"Super fun and entertaini g read if the off beat and curious is your thing."
"Purchased as a gift and spent much of one night pouring through it before giving it away."
"This book is great to have around to pick up while you're waiting for your son to put his socks on, when your eyes need a screen break, during a boring conference call, when you just want to escape your little world for a few minutes."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Atlases

Atlas Obscura: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders
Talk about a bucket list: here are natural wonders—the dazzling glowworm caves in New Zealand, or a baobob tree in South Africa that's so large it has a pub inside where 15 people can drink comfortably. Not to mention the Great Stalacpipe Organ in Virginia, Turkmenistan's 40-year hole of fire called the Gates of Hell, a graveyard for decommissioned ships on the coast of Bangladesh, eccentric bone museums in Italy, or a weather-forecasting invention that was powered by leeches, still on display in Devon, England. “Fair warning: It's addictive.” — NPR, “Cosmos & Culture” “In this gorgeous collection, the celebrated Atlas Obscura website is condensed into 480 pages of awe-inspiring destinations. “Odds are you won’t get past three pages without being amazed at something truly strange that you didn’t know existed.” — San Francisco Chronicle. “Richly illustrated, delightfully strange, this compendium of off-beat destinations should spark many adventures, both terrestrial and imaginary.” — Boston Globe. “Whether describing a Canadian museum that showcases world history through shoes, a pet-casket company that will also sell you a unit for your severed limb, a Greek snake festival, or a place in the Canary Islands where inhabitants communicate through whistling, the authors have compiled an enthralling range of oddities. Featuring full-color illustrations, this hefty and gorgeously produced tome will be eagerly pored over by readers of many ages and fans of the original website.”— Booklist (Starred Review). a wonderful browse [for] armchair travelers who enjoyed Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York and Frank Warren’s PostSecret .” — Library Journal. It's the kind of book that makes you want to pack in your workaday life and head out to places you'd never have dreamed of going, to see things you could not even have imagined. “ Atlas Obscura is a joyful antidote to the creeping suspicion that travel these days is little more than a homogenized corporate shopping opportunity. Here are hundreds of surprising, perplexing, mind-blowing, inspiring reasons to travel a day longer and farther off the path. Never start a trip without knowing where a haunted hotel or a mouth of hell is!”. —GUILLERMO DEL TORO, filmmaker, Pan’s Labyrinth “ What a strange and wonderful book! Each page reveals some hidden realm—a realm that is frightening, or funny, or magical, or simply mad, but that always leaves the reader in wonder.”. —DAVID GRANN, author of The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon. Be grateful when visiting the Karni Mata Rat Temple if one of the 20,000 venerated rodents runs across your bare foot—it is considered good luck.
Reviews
"Revel in the places that you've seen!"
"I read a short description of the book in the travel section of the SF Chronicle a few weeks ago, and made the purchase based on that. That said, there are items about things I have no interest in seeing, e.g., “Lake Monsters of the USA,” but there don’t seem to be many of that sort of thing included. As with "Lake Monsters," even if you (or a recipient) aren't likely to visit many of the places described, I think for many curious people this would make for an interesting read even without the travel element. It's not a perfect book, and I don't think any one book can be perfect for all readers, but I do think it's very good and I can easily recommend it for anyone who might be potentially interested."
"This book exceeded my already higher-than-average expectations."
"We purchased it for our 19 year old grandson."
"Such a fascinating book!"
"Super fun and entertaini g read if the off beat and curious is your thing."
"Purchased as a gift and spent much of one night pouring through it before giving it away."
"This book is great to have around to pick up while you're waiting for your son to put his socks on, when your eyes need a screen break, during a boring conference call, when you just want to escape your little world for a few minutes."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Research Reference Books

National Geographic Atlas of the World, Tenth Edition
Marking the 100th anniversary of National Geographic cartography, this prestigious reference is the essential guide to understanding today's interconnected world. A portion of all National Geographic proceeds is used to fund exploration, conservation, and education through ongoing contributions to the work of the National Geographic Society.
Reviews
"I previously bought the National Geographic "Family Reference Atlas of the World", which was big enough to impress people that you have a big atlas on the coffee table, but not big enough to actually FIND any historical locations you are interested in."
"This was a gift, and I am thrilled how fabulous this NG Atlas actually is."
"I have compared, the map for Suriname is even less detailed than my micro pocket atlas which costs only 0.8 USD."
"I picked this as a Christmas gift for my nieces and nephews."
"I could not be more pleased!"
"Absolutely stunning book!"
"I bought this book for my mom and she loves it."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best United States Atlases & Maps

Rand McNally 2017 Road Atlas: United States, Canada, Mexico
2017 Road Atlas. Overview. The Rand McNally Road Atlas is the most trusted and best-selling US atlas on the market. This updated North American atlas contains maps of every U.S. state and Canadian province, an overview map of Mexico, and detailed inset maps of over 350 cities and 20 U.S. national parks.
Reviews
"The spiral ones seem like a good idea, but it is tough to match up different pages and it often seems like there are small gaps in the maps on different pages."
"I'm a firm believer that if you're stuck in a traffic jam on I-80, it's good to have a real map to tell you how to get around it, instead of trying to rely on a GPS (not that helpful) or calling a brother, sister or parent for help."
"My wife wanted a new Rand McNally atlas while we were on a road trip. My wife ended up using the old atlas on the trip (a few highways in NC that were recently expanded were not on the old one). I use my phone or the car GPS because it's instantly updated by Google or Apple via the cloud."
"Whatever the reason, for the price of 1.5 magazines, this is a great read, and good insurance for when that apocalyptic event renders the computer and gps unavailable!"
"I cannot say enough about this road atlas."
"I've found these atlas' to be invaluable over the years, and hope that they'll lead me along America's trails for many years to come."
"Old school but an excellent atlas."
"We once. were within 2 miles of the Ole Miss campus and the GPS in my husband's Lexus took us an. hour south of the campus only to find that we were led to the Continuing Education campus. for Ole Miss in Tupelo."
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Best Maps

Destinations of a Lifetime: 225 of the World's Most Amazing Places
NatGeo takes you on a photographic tour of the world’s most spectacular destinations, inspiring tangible ideas for your next trip. That early experience instilled in him a reverence for the classic, timeless feel of a wonderful photograph, a reverence that he continues to feel even with his job as Director of Photography for National Geographic Travel.
Reviews
"I bought this for my 90 year old father who has dementia."
"Very pretty, but not quite as informative as I was hoping."
"People love to look at the book when it's on the coffee table."
"Awesome travel book."
"Nice quality hard cover with great pictures."
"Like many of National Geographic photo journeys, this one takes me to places I have never been."
"This book is such an inspiration."
"Beautiful book...we have enjoyed going through every page and filling our bucket lists!"
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