Earth

- SPECIFICATION
- SAMPLE PAGES
- STUNNING IMAGES
- DETAILED MAPS
- PRESS & PUBLIC REVIEWS
- FAQs
- EDUCATION DAY

FAQs

What is the Earth atlas?
It’s unique – it’s the ultimate book about our world, the biggest atlas in publishing history. Earth is a limited-edition publication running to 580 pages with 355 maps. It weighs more than 66 lbs.

It costs £2,400. Why is it so expensive?
It is exquisite - a prestige, luxury item with an unprecedented level of detail and a beautiful presentation. The sheer size of it is amazing. It is hand-bound in leather with gilded edges and silver-plated corners. These days, virtually no publication is made this way. The craft of hand binding books is becoming lost in our technological age. Earth could well be the last big world atlas to be published anywhere in the world.

Who is going to buy it at such a price?
Collectors, investors, map enthusiasts, people interested in travel. It is ideal for the library or the boardroom. It could also be a perfect corporate gift.

How was it put together?
We at Global Mapping worked with fellow cartographers, oceanographers and geographers around the world over two years. We worked on detail from a continuously updated digital mapping database of the world. There were more than 100 of us involved altogether. The maps and text are complemented by more than 800 carefully selected photos.

Whose idea was it to publish Earth?
Gordon Cheers, an Australian publisher who had a “20-year professional dream” to create a real treasure - a time capsule of the planet that would last hundreds of years. He wants it to be a legacy for future generations.

But can’t I just find all this information on the web? Why do I need a big atlas?
Earth is deliberately meant to be a celebration of publishing, a unique reference book to enjoy. Of course you can find all kinds of geographic information on the web. This is unashamedly a hard-copy publication that we hope people will enjoy for its own sake for generations to come.

People have been pre-ordering Earth for a couple of months now. How would you describe the level of interest?
Enquiries began coming in as soon as people became aware of it – we took 25 orders in a single weekend. The level of interest has been truly encouraging. It goes to show that there is still a demand for luxury goods even in an economic downturn.

If you have had such a strong level of interest, why won’t you print more copies?
The plates have deliberately been destroyed already. Only 3,000 copies will ever be produced with just 200 earmarked for the UK – that was always the intention. As a limited edition, Earth will be something that those buying now can look on as an investment that will increase in value and demand in the future.

How do you know it will stand the test of time?
It is a robust, leather-bound hardback publication. Painstaking work has gone in to ensure preservation. The aim is that 500 years from now Earth will be on show in museums and in the most discerning historical and first edition collections.

How can I get hold of a copy?
You can order online from our map shop MapStop.co.uk or call 01280 840770 and we can answer any other questions you may have.