A visual atlas of our vast, fragile world
Dazzling in scale, diversity and detail, the world never ceases to open our eyes and captivate our curiosity. Ever since the earliest cave paintings, humans have looked at this Earth that is our home and endeavored to understand it.
This expansive visual atlas presents
the most exciting, creative and inspiring ways of explaining the world in information graphics. Divided into five chapters, the book covers the
environment, technology, economics, society, and culture to reveal some of the Earth’s greatest intricacies in accessible visual form. Featuring
more than 280 graphics, reproduced in large scale including
seven fold-out spreads, the collection focuses on the 21st century, but also includes historical masterpieces to put our current situation into perspective.
Nigel Holmes introduces the book with an exclusive infographic of his own, while
Sandra Rendgen provides an illustrated historical essay to explore how we have studied and interpreted our world over the centuries. With graphics drawn from such sources as
Fortune,
National Geographic, and
The Guardian, this is not only a showcase of outstanding data design, but also a fascinating digest of where and how we live.
The author
Sandra Rendgen studied art history and cultural studies in Berlin and Amsterdam. Her work both as an editor and in developing concepts for media installations concentrates at the interface between image culture and technology, with a particular focus on data visualization, interactive media and the history of how information is conveyed. She is the author of TASCHEN’s Information Graphics and Understanding the World.
The editor
Julius Wiedemann studied graphic design and marketing and was an art editor for newspapers and design magazines in Tokyo before joining TASCHEN in 2001. His titles include the Illustration Now! and Record Covers series, as well as the infographics collection and books about advertising and visual culture.
Understanding the World. The Atlas of Infographics
Hardcover with seven fold-outs, 9.7 x 14.6 in., 8.22 lb, 456 pages
