Amongst the New Books: Atlas de Cuba

Summary

This review assesses the Atlas de Cuba (1949), compiled by Gerando Canet with Erwin Raisz at Harvard University's Institute of Geographical Exploration. The atlas gathers comprehensive data on Cuba's geology, population, housing, and production, employing Raisz's distinctive physiographic mapping style, extended effectively to land use, vegetation, and tourism maps. The reviewer identifies significant shortcomings, including incomplete English translations, a crowded layout, and poor reproduction marked by fuzzy printing and misregistered color plates. Nevertheless, the authors largely achieve their goal of presenting 'a living picture of Cuban geography,' and the infolded wall map alone justifies the atlas's price. The review concludes that, despite production flaws, the work remains a valuable national atlas and geographic resource.