The most recommended atlas books

Who picked these books? Meet our 11 experts.

11 authors created a book list connected to atlases, and here are their favorite atlas books.
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Book cover of The World Atlas of Coffee: From Beans to Brewing -- Coffees Explored, Explained and Enjoyed

Annabel Townsend Author Of It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time: Ten Years of Misadventures in Coffee

From my list on wannabe coffee shop owners.

Why am I passionate about this?

I've been going by the handle ‘Dr. Coffee’ online for over a decade now. I really do have a PhD. in coffee! In 2007 I embarked on a doctorate and wrote my thesis on ideas of quality in the coffee industry. The inevitable question is then, ‘what do you do with a PhD in coffee?’ and my answer was to open coffee shops, first in the UK and then in Canada. In recent years, I've switched from owning a coffee shop with books in it to a bookshop with coffee in it, but it still manages to satisfy both passions. I firmly believe there is no better combination than hot coffee and good books.  

Annabel's book list on wannabe coffee shop owners

Annabel Townsend Why did Annabel love this book?

In the world of Speciality Coffee, James Hoffmann is the OG celebrity, and no list of coffee books is complete without this one. I met Hoffmann many years ago and he actually gave me barista training for my first Real coffee job. A year later, he won the World Barista Championship and founded Square Mile coffee roasters in London. The book contains absolutely everything a barista (or enthusiast) ever needs to know about coffee, complete with gorgeous pictures from around the world, and plenty of brewing tips too. Like me, Hoffmann is unashamedly geeky about coffee, and his humour, expertise, and passion for the little beans shine through this book. 

By James Hoffmann,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The World Atlas of Coffee as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The worldwide bestseller - 1/4 million copies sold

'Written by a World Barista Champion and co-founder of the great Square Mile roasters in London, this had a lot to live up to and it certainly does. Highly recommended for anyone into their coffee and interested in finding out more about how it's grown, processed and roasted.' (Amazon customer)

'Whether you are an industry professional, a home enthusiast or anything in between, I truly believe this is a MUST read.' (Amazon customer)

'Informative, well-written and well presented. Coffee table and reference book - a winner' (Amazon customer)

'Very impressive. It's amazing…


Book cover of Atlas of the Invisible: Maps and Graphics That Will Change How You See the World

Joshua Hagen Author Of Borders: A Very Short Introduction

From my list on maps and cartography.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have liked maps since childhood and remember them prompting all sorts of questions, like why was that city, mountain, or border there instead of someplace else, or I would imagine what it would be like to visit those places. I don’t feel like I can truly understand or make sense of a place until I can see it from above, so I spend too much time on Google Earth. I have especially valued how maps or other cartographic representations can help illuminate the connections and interdependencies between peoples and places, between society and nature, and ultimately help us understand our place in the world.

Joshua's book list on maps and cartography

Joshua Hagen Why did Joshua love this book?

The book’s title immediately drew me in. Atlases and maps obviously help make things visible, so atlas and invisible did not seem like two words that belonged together. In actuality, the title was a bit misleading, albeit effective in gaining my attention.

Cheshire and Uberti provide over 200 different maps and other spatial visualizations of a wide range of things that are generally unseen or at least difficult to see but can be gainfully mapped out to better understand the world. Examples range from the geographies of telecommunication and shipping routes to glacial movements and wildfires.

The illustrations were striking and plentiful, matched by well-written text. The book certainly gave me lots to think about.

By James Cheshire, Oliver Uberti,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Atlas of the Invisible as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Award-winning geographer-designer team James Cheshire and Oliver Uberti transform enormous datasets into rich maps and cutting-edge visualizations. In this triumph of visual storytelling, they uncover truths about our past, reveal who we are today, and highlight what we face in the years ahead. With their joyfully inquisitive approach, Cheshire and Uberti explore happiness levels around the globe, trace the undersea cables and cell towers that connect us, examine hidden scars of geopolitics, and illustrate how a warming planet affects everything from hurricanes to the hajj. Years in the making, Atlas of the Invisible invites readers to marvel at the promise…


Book cover of The Animal Atlas: A Pictorial Guide to the World's Wildlife

Deborah Niland Author Of Annie's Chair

From my list on to happily lose yourself for hours.

Why am I passionate about this?

Being a children’s illustrator and writer, I have built up a well-loved collection of childen’s books over the years. They must have great drawings and imaginative concepts. They are books I can come back to again and again. The books I have chosen are ones where you can lose yourself in their intricate detailed worlds and forget about day-to-day troubles for a while. These books can also help reluctant readers by enticing them into a visual world first and then into appreciating the written word. 

Deborah's book list on to happily lose yourself for hours

Deborah Niland Why did Deborah love this book?

I love to see beautifully drawn animals and this book has it in abundance. For animal lovers who want to know more about animal habitats worldwide. Find out interesting facts about hundreds of rare and common species and enjoy the detailed and beautiful artwork of Kenneth Lilly. This book is a delight for any age group.

By DK, Kenneth Lilly (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Animal Atlas as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 9, 10, 11, and 12.

What is this book about?

Explore the animal kingdom with this pictorial atlas of the world's wildlife.

Where do animals build their homes? How do they survive in very hot and cold climates? Why are so many species endangered?

Discover the answers to all these questions and many more in The Animal Atlas. Learn where in the world different animal species are found; what kind of habitats they live in; what they eat; and how they find their mates.

The Animal Atlas is packed with beautiful, life-like depictions of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects. Each species is carefully hand-drawn to show details of fur,…


Book cover of A:shiwi A:wan Ulohnanne, The Zuni World

Eric Magrane Author Of The Sonoran Desert: A Literary Field Guide

From my list on looking at field guides and atlases in a new way.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love field guides. I can vividly picture my first copy of Peterson’s Field Guide to Birds, tattered and weather-beaten. I also love poetry and literature, so it seemed natural to me to bring the two together in my work. I’m from New England, but I've lived in the U.S. Southwest for over twenty years. Place is important to me: I think a lot about how we get to know and care for the places we live and call home and how we can work to be good neighbors. I worked for about a decade as a hiking guide and have also taught environmental education. I now teach geography at New Mexico State University. 

Eric's book list on looking at field guides and atlases in a new way

Eric Magrane Why did Eric love this book?

In the introduction to this book and catalog that features map art by Zuni artists, Jim Enote writes, “these maps are like relatives, like aunts and uncles that entrance us with narrations of places they have been to or heard about.” I love this way of thinking about maps as relational. As a non-Indigenous person viewing these maps, they help me to think about mapping and representations of place in new ways, and they challenge Western and colonial mapping traditions and cartographic practices that have often historically been put to the use of empire, land grabs, and greed.

By Jim Enote (editor), Jennifer McLerran (editor),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


Book cover of An Atlas of Anatomy for Artists

Brian C Hailes Author Of The Dynamic Female Figure

From my list on art references for drawing the human figure.

Why am I passionate about this?

Born at the base of the beautiful Wasatch Mountains, I began exploring and sketching the world—as most children do—at a very early age. I continued to pursue not only my artistic path through traditional schooling, higher education, and endless hours of practice, but also my love of storytelling. Intrigued by Science Fiction and Fantasy, many of my projects reflect elements of the fantastic, but I also appreciate the beauty and elegance in fine art masterpieces. I studied illustration and graphic design at Utah State University and the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. I currently live in Salt Lake City with my beautiful wife and four boys, where I continue to write, paint and draw regularly.

Brian's book list on art references for drawing the human figure

Brian C Hailes Why did Brian love this book?

This is the artist's anatomy book I grew up studying throughout high school and college, and it goes deep into the structural and anatomical anatomy of the body. It gives good illustrative examples of the skeletal and muscular systems as well as providing a few photographic references for both male and female anatomy. It is a pretty old volume, having been originally published in 1957, but the principles remain the same and it holds up pretty well. For anyone serious about learning to not only draw or paint from life, but also the imagination, I highly recommend this foundational and educational reference guide.

By Fritz Schider,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked An Atlas of Anatomy for Artists as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"I recommend Fritz Schider's Atlas of Anatomy for Artists to those who wish to increase their understanding of the human figure." — Robert Beverly Hale, Lecturer on Anatomy, Art Students League of New York. Adopted by Pratt Institute, Cleveland School of Art, Art Students League of New York, and others.

For more than forty years, this book has been recognized as the most thorough reference book on art anatomy in the world. Schider's complete, historical text is accompanied by a wealth of anatomical illustrations, plus a variety of plates showcasing master artists and their classic works on the anatomy of…


Book cover of The Human Brain Coloring Book

Rita Carter Author Of Consciousness

From my list on how to start exploring consciousness.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was hooked on brain science from the moment in the 1980s when I saw the first blurry images that revealed the physical markers of thought. I set out to find out all I could about this astonishing new area of discovery, but there was practically nothing to be found – neuroscience as we know it barely existed. I pounced on every new finding that emerged and eventually wrote what was one of the first books, Mapping the Mind, that made brain science accessible to non-scientists. There are hundreds of them now, and these are some of the best.

Rita's book list on how to start exploring consciousness

Rita Carter Why did Rita love this book?

This title is designed to help student neuroscientists grasp the staggeringly complicated anatomy of the brain by -literally – coloring-in its parts in a way that shows up their connections. Colouring- will take you straight into the Zone, and using this book will allow you to do it in public without people looking around for your carer. If it leaves you with a better idea of how the bits join up, count it as a bonus.

By Arnold B. Scheibel, Marian C. Diamond,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Human Brain Coloring Book as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Developed by internationally renowned neurosurgeons, this unique book is designed for students of psychology and the biological sciences, and medical, dental, and nursing students.


Book cover of Cessions of Land by Indian Tribes to the United States

Mark Stein Author Of How the States Got Their Shapes

From my list on boundaries.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a teenager, I wondered why my state, Maryland, didn’t include Delaware. Later, at the University of Wisconsin, I wondered why its northeastern peninsula was part of Michigan. Then I started wondering about boring borders -- why Colorado’s and Wyoming’s lines are where they are and not a mile or so so this way or that? I ended up writing How the States Got Their Shapes, followed by The People Behind the Borderlines.

Mark's book list on boundaries

Mark Stein Why did Mark love this book?

This book is not so much one to read, being more of an atlas. And atlases are expensive. Except this one. It’s free! Published by the U.S. Government in 1899 but still available online, it’s an extraordinary collection of Native American borders that got changed...and changed...and changed. It is history in the raw, from back in that time. More importantly, it is history we all need to know, if we are to know who we are as a nation today.

Book cover of 21st Century Atlas of the Moon

John A. Read Author Of 50 Things to See with a Telescope: A young stargazer's guide

From my list on stargazing.

Why am I passionate about this?

My journey into astronomy began with a small and rickety telescope purchased at a local pharmacy. I found it fascinating to observe the Moon and Saturn with their rings using such meager equipment. I decided to share these views with others by writing my first book, 50 Things to See with a Small Telescope, an easy-to-understand beginner’s guide which I self-published and sold through Amazon starting in 2013. I have since published a number of other books on space for children. Besides writing, I work as the telescope operator at Burke-Gaffney Observatory. In 2020 I was awarded the Simon Newcomb Award for excellence in science communication.

John's book list on stargazing

John A. Read Why did John love this book?

Stargazers find out pretty quickly that the Moon can be a nuisance. After first quarter, the Moon illuminates the entire sky, and washing out all but the brightest stars and deep-sky objects like galaxies and nebulae. Seasoned astronomers soon learn that if the Moon is up, it’s what you should be observing! The challenge is to appreciate what you’re seeing.

When I was doing research for my book, 50 things to see on the Moon, I observed the Moon every chance I got, making notes about what I saw. But early on, I had no idea what I was looking at! This lunar atlas helped me appreciate the Moon’s topography, geography, geology, and so much more.

By Charles A. Wood, Maurice J. S. Collins,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked 21st Century Atlas of the Moon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

On most nights and days, the Moon is visible somewhere in the sky. For many, simply noticing it is a pleasure, yet it is also a fascinating world of craters, mountains, and volcanoes worthy of a closer look. The 21st Century Atlas of the Moon is uniquely designed for the backyard, amateur astronomer. As an indispensable guide to telescopic moon observation, it can be used at the telescope or as a desk reference. It is both accessible to the novice and valuable to the expert. With over two hundred Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter images, the highest quality images of the moon…


Book cover of Biochemical Pathways: An Atlas of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Charlie Hodgman Author Of BIOS Instant Notes in Bioinformatics

From my list on the intersection of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology.

Why am I passionate about this?

Mathematics and chemistry were my strongest subjects at school, and I started programming computers when I was 16, but life seemed most important. Hence I studied biochemistry in university but moved into molecular biology with programming to assist the data analysis. My track record in successfully predicting new biology through computing led to a pharmaceutical company recruiting me to do bioinformatics for them. However, not content with studying genes and proteins, I pushed for bioinformatics to move up into metabolism, anatomy, and physiology. That’s when I discovered systems biology. My international reputation lies at this interface and includes discoveries in microbial physiology, botany, agriculture, animal biology, and antenatal diseases.

Charlie's book list on the intersection of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology

Charlie Hodgman Why did Charlie love this book?

This is one of my most valued reference books, and I have referred to it many times.

With some explanatory text, it consists of a set of maps of biochemical pathways, differentiating between organism kingdoms, and includes how specific metabolites regulate the activity of particular enzymes. The pathways are very easy to find and easy to interpret. In contrast, the online equivalents can be difficult to interpret for a variety of reasons.

The book has the added advantage that it does not need a power supply or an internet connection and can be used in a far wider range of temperatures than computer hardware.

By Gerhard Michal (editor), Dietmar Schomburg (editor),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Biochemical Pathways as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The pathways and networks underlying biological function

Now in its second edition, Biochemical Pathways continues to garner praise from students, instructors, and researchers for its clear, full-color illustrations of the pathways and networks that determine biological function.

Biochemical Pathways examines the biochemistry of bacteria, plants, and animals. It offers a quick overview of the metabolic sequences in biochemical pathways, the chemistry and enzymology of conversions, the regulation of turnover, the expression of genes, the immunological interactions, and the metabolic background of health disorders. A standard set of conventions is used in all illustrations, enabling readers to easily gather information and…


Book cover of Earth: The World Atlas (Concise)

Robert R. Coenraads Author Of Rocks and Fossils: A Visual Guide

From my list on our planet’s geological wonders.

Why am I passionate about this?

I‘m a Sydney-based exploration geologist and science writer, travelling the world in search of gold, exotic metals, gemstones, and the stories they have to tell — writing is my tool to bring alive ideas and concepts important to me, and my popular books include Rocks, Fossils and Dinosaurs; Natural Disasters; and Geologica. Working in the world's poorest regions has also sparked a strong humanitarian interest. I'm the founding president of FreeSchools World Literacy – Australia, a charity dedicated to education of underprivileged children, and towards which earnings from my writing go. It is my belief that education for all, not just a privileged few, is key to solving the world's problems. 

Robert's book list on our planet’s geological wonders

Robert R. Coenraads Why did Robert love this book?

Finally, I can’t go past recommending the biggest book ever produced on this planet—and by big, I mean physically enormous. Earth Atlas comes in a variety of sizes, all of them big, with the biggest being The Earth Platinum Limited Edition. Measuring a whopping 6ft x 9ft (1.8m x 2.7m) and weighing 150 kg, it needs six people just to carry it around and two to turn its pages. It was the lifelong dream of Gordon Cheers of Millennium House to produce this Guinness-Book-of-Records-winning atlas with the help of a team of over 88 cartographers from around the world. I have had the pleasure of working with Gordon on a number of his other big publications including Scientifica, Geologica, and Maritimea.

By Charles F. Gritzner,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Earth as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Profiles the world's countries, providing descriptions of each, their dependencies, and territories.


Book cover of The World Atlas of Coffee: From Beans to Brewing -- Coffees Explored, Explained and Enjoyed
Book cover of Atlas of the Invisible: Maps and Graphics That Will Change How You See the World
Book cover of The Animal Atlas: A Pictorial Guide to the World's Wildlife

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