I am drawn to maps. These graphic depictions of our world fascinate me. Cartographers manage to cleave, crunch, and ultimately compress our 3-dimensional planet into 2-dimensional drawings, a goal that, if it were not vitally necessary, would seem absurd from the outset. Yet despite these Herculean hurdles, most maps include lines and colors that reflect the map-makers' attempt not only to describe reality, but also to expand a bit beyond it. In so doing, maps ...