MAPMATICS: How We Navigate the World Through Numbers, reviewed

We look at this interesting new book by Paulina Rowinska.  In the book, Paulina asks why DO we love maps so much? Maps aren’t actually the full story – mathematical principles help us fill in the gaps. See more about the book here.

MAPMATICS: How We Navigate the World Through Numbers, reviewed

This book is accessible and informative. The author, Paulina Rowinska has written this book aimed at the general reader, and this mostly works. Though there are some moments where her inner mathematical geek gets the better of her, and there are some deep dive equations if you want to go deeper into her ideas. That said, these do not really get in the way of enjoying the book, so she is able to have it both ways.

The chapter headers are simple, concise one word affairs, and then each chapter explores various stories that you may know more or less about. This does mean that if Rowinska covers a topic or story that you are already familiar with, the next chapter can always offer something of interest to you. There are good illustrations and they add to the value of the book and help to inform the ideas that she is aiming to convey.

We would definitely recommend this book, especially to younger readers, who have a general interest in some of the bigger questions where maths has helped to bring insights and better understanding of the world around us. It also works well as a popular science book for adults too, so it could work for a few members of the household.

More about the book: Mapmatics, How We Navigate the World Through Numbers

How does a delivery driver distribute hundreds of packages in a single working day? Why does remote Alaska have such a large airport? Where should we look for elusive serial killers? The answers lie in the crucial connection between maps and maths

We learn in Mapmatics how, for example, an 18th-century maths conundrum has led to a single delivery driver being able to distribute hundreds of packages in a working day in the most efficient way; why measuring coastlines and geographical boundaries is almost impossible but how the variance impacts everything from fishing rights to world peace; how maps of voting districts can empower or silence whole communities; and where we should look for elusive serial killers.

Through entertaining stories, surprising real-world examples and a cast of unforgettable characters, Mapmatics helps us to appreciate the mathematical methods and ideas behind maps. And, by illuminating how our world works, leaves us better equipped to understand and look after it. This is strong pop science, using maps and illustrations to create a book for readers of Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall and Humble Pi by Matt Parker.

More about the author

Hi! I’m Paulina Rowi?ska, a writer, mathematician and science communicator based in Warsaw, Poland. I authored the popular science book, Mapmatics: How We Navigate the World Through Numbers.

During my PhD in mathematics and statistics at Imperial College London, I realised I prefer communicating science to doing research. Through newspaper articles, radio shows, and TV programs, I’ve shared the beauty and relevance of mathematics with diverse audiences. Now I create interactive maths and data science content for Brilliant, an educational company.

In September, I’ll join the Graduate Program in Science Writing at MIT in Cambridge, MA. I aim to continue exploring the role of mathematics in our daily lives while also covering topics like mental health and environmental issues. 

When I’m not writing, you’ll probably find me devouring a book from my ever-growing to-be-read pile, learning a new language, or watching a cheesy musical.

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