The Borders Book

How the World Got Sliced

Why does Africa look like it was divided by a toddler with a ruler? Why does Canada still technically report to a king? Why does Chile look like a linguine noodle, and why is there a whole country inside Italy? This is not an atlas. This is the story of how the map got made — badly. From ancient empires to colonial chaos, from revolutions to real estate deals, The Borders Book takes you on a wild, bloody, and often ridiculous journey through the history of how every country on Earth got its shape. Some were forged in war. Others were drawn in pencil by people who’d never even been there. A few were declared over drinks. And a surprising number just… stuck. This is the geo-political roast of the millennium — told like it actually matters, because it does.

©2025 James Johnson (P)2025 James Johnson