This Way Up

When Maps Go Wrong (and Why it Matters)

By: Map Men

A SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

A Waterstones Best Nature & Travel Writing Book 2025

'Educational, smart and funny’ Richard Osman

‘This book is superb’ Charlie Brooker

‘Brilliant. Fascinating. Hilarious.’ Jonn Elledge, bestselling author of A History of the World in 47 Borders

The debut book from the YouTube sensation and all-round cartographical nerds, The Map Men!

Hello, we're the Map Men, and in the following pages we've selected what we believe to be some of the very best wrong maps. Some of them are decades old, some are centuries old and some are so recent they're being published today (or yesterday, if you’re reading this tomorrow).

They include world maps, colonial maps, corporate maps, Soviet maps, pioneer maps, news maps and maps whose intended use was hijacked for a French surrealist political movement in the 1950s. Whether you’re an avid map junkie or simply ‘map-curious’, you will uncover a unique tale of adventure, error and unexpected humour in each chapter, as we attempt to answer the question: ‘What on earth happened here?’

So, ditch the compass (or disable location services) and set out on a journey with us, the Map Men, into a world of cartographic chaos and mappy mishaps.

Because the worst maps are the best maps.

(P)2025 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

‘Map Men’s unique and witty outlook translates brilliantly from their hilarious videos onto the page’ Matt Lucas

‘The funniest book on geography ever written’ Rufus Hound

'A gloriously entertaining look at how maps can get things – sometimes very big things – badly wrong’ Charlie Higson

‘The best book I’ve ever read (and not just because it’s the first)’ Michael Howe, author of Terrible Maps

Fun stories, great writing and amazing narration

If you're a fan of Map Men on youtube you're gonna love this, it's essentially more of the same great humor and great delivery. this book needs more attention!