General World Atlases in Print, 1972–1973: A Comparative Analysis

Summary

Compiled by S. Padraig Walsh, General World Atlases in Print 1972–1973: A Comparative Analysis is a practical guide to selecting English-language general-reference world atlases. The visible preface describes this fourth edition as covering 40 major atlases and nearly 100 inexpensive titles, principally nonspecialized world atlases published in the United States or United Kingdom, including imported works adapted or translated for English-speaking users. Information was obtained from mapmakers and publishers, supplemented by questionnaires and physical examination of review copies, and organized for comparison using uniform evaluative criteria. The contents list guidance on choosing and using atlases, analyses arranged in four quality groups, and tables covering merit, age suitability, price, page size, and index entries. Appendices cover inexpensive and discontinued atlases, scale conversion, and publishers. The opening discussion emphasizes maps, contents lists, and place indexes, while distinguishing supplementary material the compiler considers useful from material serving sales purposes. The preface also cautions that identical contents may appear under different titles, bindings, and package arrangements at different prices, and that quoted prices may change. The closing title index links entries through page references and cross-references. The supplied excerpts do not reveal individual atlas evaluations or overall comparative conclusions.