Title Page

Prepare to be both fascinated and infuriated by Images of the World--An Atlas of Satellite Views and Maps (Rand McNally: $24.95). Fascinating are the lovely, sometimes mesmerizing, images of Earth from space, especially such alive pictures as a huge sandstorm off Pakistan. Infuriating are maps that should exactly match the pictures but often cover more or less or are at a different angle, making it a chore to figure out what you’re seeing. Add an arcane technocratic text and errors in the maps (I found two in the area where I grew up) and the result is like listening to an Italian opera: It’s beautiful, but what does it mean?