Bosatlas of the Netherlands: the book that had to come: book review
Bosatlas van Nederland: het boek dat er moest komen: book review
- Publication
- Geografie
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 37–38
Netherlands · Version 2
1984In this review of the Bosatlas van Nederland, the 1984–1991 second edition of the Wetenschappelijke Atlas van Nederland serves as the earlier national atlas and as a point of comparison. The reviewer notes that it appeared in twenty loose fascicles from Staatsuitgeverij/Sdu, was coordinated by the Stichting Wetenschappelijke Atlas van Nederland with editorial work led by Marc de Smidt and production at the Topografische Dienst, and was regarded as almost indispensable for a nation's geography and cartography yet commercially weak, with few buyers beyond libraries. The reviewer also contrasts its photographs, made to clarify and support maps and text, with the Bosatlas's more decorative images.
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This article reviews the historical context of the Dutch national atlas, noting that its predecessor, the Scientific Atlas of the Netherlands, ceased publication fifteen years ago due to limited commercial appeal. It focuses on the newly released Bosatlas of the Netherlands by Wolters-Noordhoff, arguing that while not a direct continuation of the scientific atlas, it successfully brings the national atlas to a broader audience through stunning photography, detailed data, and professional cartography. The author acknowledges its value for education and leisure reading but also points out issues such as time-sensitive content, questionable data scale choices, and stylistic inconsistencies in some chapters. The article concludes by noting the atlas's rapid sell-out and bestseller status, indicating its commercial success exceeded expectations.
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