Cartography, Past, Present and Future: A Festschrift for F. J. Ormeling

Summary

This review evaluates Cartography, Past, Present and Future, a Festschrift honoring F. J. Ormeling and intended to represent the state of world cartography. The volume is organized into regional surveys and thematic essays. Its first section compares cartographic history, institutions, education, map use, and technological development across Nigeria, India, Poland, Mexico, China, the Federal Republic of Germany, and France, revealing markedly uneven progress in digital mapping and professional training. The second examines cartography as art and science, historical research, curriculum design, the changing role of mapping in developing countries, ideal mapping software, and the technological revolution of the 1980s. The reviewer particularly values its attention to graphic literacy, cognitive approaches, and unresolved theoretical questions. Although not a textbook, the collection provides diverse information and stimulating ideas, making it a worthwhile resource for cartographic teaching collections.