This recommendation was hand-selected by The Gwenin Exchange team for its alignment with Gwenin’s values of clarity, accessibility, and mindful living.

Map Men

A Sunday Times bestseller and Waterstones Best Nature & Travel Writing Book 2025, This Way Up is a hilarious and fascinating dive into the world of maps gone wrong. From centuries-old misprints to modern mishaps, the Map Men uncover stories behind the errors that have shaped how we see and sometimes miss the world.

This book is perfect for anyone curious about geography, history, or the quirks of human error. Each chapter is a journey through:

• Historical and modern map blunders, from colonial to corporate maps
• Unexpected humour hidden in misprints and miscalculations
• Geopolitical oddities revealed through mistaken cartography
• The human stories behind maps, exploring ambition, error, and creativity

Whether you’re a map aficionado or simply map-curious, the Map Men make complex geography entertaining, accessible, and endlessly surprising.

Why It Belongs in the Gwenin Exchange

At The Gwenin Exchange, we value curiosity, critical thinking, and playful exploration of knowledge. This Way Up encourages readers to:

• Question assumptions and explore different perspectives
• Appreciate the history and context behind the information we often take for granted
• Learn through humour and storytelling, making education engaging
• Cultivate awareness of the unexpected ways human errors shape our understanding of the world

How This Supports the Meaningful Planet Vision

Maps are more than navigation; they reflect our understanding of space, borders, and communities. By exploring the quirks and mistakes of maps, readers are invited to think critically about how we interact with the world and how information shapes society, echoing Gwenin’s mission of intentional and reflective engagement with the planet.

A Final Thought

This Way Up proves that even mistakes can teach, entertain, and inspire. The Map Men turn errors into stories of adventure, learning, and delight, showing that sometimes, the wrong map can lead you to exactly the right place.

Explore it here: This Way Up

Thank You

Every purchase through The Gwenin Exchange helps sustain a circle of learning, care, and connection.

Your support keeps Gwenin’s spaces thoughtful, independent, and free from advertising influence, allowing us to continue creating tools, reflections, and resources that place care, clarity, and accessibility first.

With gratitude,
The Gwenin Exchange Team

Note: This is an affiliate link. If you choose to buy through it, The Gwenin Exchange may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you. This support helps keep all Spiralmore ecosystem sites ad-free and independent.