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The Mappist

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Started by natcase , Jun 19 2007 06:34 AM

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#1
natcase
Posted 19 June 2007 - 06:34 AM

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I'm guessing a lot of you have read Barry Lopez's short story "The Mappist." Not sure where it was first published but it was collected in the 2000 Light Action in the Caribbean. It's also available (probably illegally) at this site, second story in.

I'm curious what others think about the story. To me it expresses what I think a lot of cartographers yearn for in terms of quality, but I wonder about that yearning's proper place...is it realistic and if so how? The blog Mappismus has a nice little piece on the story that notes how untied from his usually well-grounded-in-natural-history work the story is; it's a magical story, and like Borges' work it plays with what is usually a reference form (i.e. the form we cartographers work in.

Anyway, I'd be curious about any thoughts you all have on the story.
Nat Case
Head of Production, Hedberg Maps, Minneapolis, MN USA
maphead.blogspot.com
"Life's too short for bad maps"

#2
Martin Gamache
Posted 20 June 2007 - 05:58 AM

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Nat,

I just got through it this morning. What an amazing story. I want it to be real. I want to travel to Garisson and meet Corlis. I want to drink the Koolaid.

I think the yearning is appropriate. As a society we have really lost that connection to place that is at the heart of this man's lifework. Maps are a way of visualizing it and making maps can be a way of discovering it. Of course you can only ever experience these things for yourself and words and maps and photos only takes us so far. But a good map is well worth the trip.

Thank you for sharing.

#3
Martin Gamache
Posted 20 June 2007 - 07:40 AM

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BTW is this the same Barry Lopez that wrote Home Ground which we have discussed a couple of times here?

#4
Martin Gamache
Posted 20 June 2007 - 08:27 AM

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Barry Lopez is giving a free presentation along with several others ( John Krieger, Dennis wood) at this event on Saturday. Lots of cultural geography and academic cartography presentations:

http://www.aag.org/h...ities/index.cfm

Anyone else thinking of doing the drive from the DC area?

#5
Hans van der Maarel
Posted 20 June 2007 - 08:41 AM

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Interesting story, thanks for sharing this!
Hans van der Maarel - Cartotalk Editor
Red Geographics
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#6
DaveB
Posted 22 June 2007 - 10:07 AM

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Nat,

I just got through it this morning. What an amazing story. I want it to be real.

Thank you for sharing.


I know what you mean.

Thanks, Nat!
Dave Barnes
Esri
Product Engineer
Map Geek

#7
Jean-Louis
Posted 14 July 2007 - 10:56 AM

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Finally got around to reading 'the mappist' What a great and well written story.

It made me realize amongst other things how many great little nuggets I would have missed had I never discovered this site. My heartfelt thanks to everyone who is a part of it and who like Nat, take the time to pass on all the various interesting items such as this one that they come across.
Jean-Louis Rheault
Montreal

#8
MapMedia
Posted 17 July 2007 - 04:20 AM

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Inspiring. I saw a copy of The Mappist for sale at $1,200. (with maps)

Does anyone have a personal or professional project they are working on, similar to Benefideo's?
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