This has probably already been mentioned by other bloggers but, if not, there is a fascinating new book coming out this month called the ‘Atlas of Design‘. This book, edited by Tim Wallace and Daniel Huffman and published by the North American Cartographic Information Society (NACIS) will feature 27 of the most beautiful examples of mapping at its finest.
If you visit the site you will see a thorough background to the project, some interviews with key contributors and how the final projects were chosen for inclusion. There is so much mapping going on out there ranging from the brilliant to the… well, not-as-brilliant but this is a book curated by purists, passionate about the best and most elegant practices in this specialist field.
The inaugural edition of the Atlas of Design showcases some of the world’s most attractive, creative, and intelligent cartographic art and design. It is a museum gallery: part inspirational and part educational. Beautiful maps are accompanied by thoughtful commentary from their creators, bringing you into a deeper understanding of how great things are made.
There is an excellent review/excerpt article about the book on Huffington Post but if you’re already sold, you can shoot straight through to the order page.