Atlas of the World

Oxford University Press. Oxford University Press, USA, $85 (448pp) ISBN 978-0-19-521919-7

The latest revision of Oxford's highly acclaimed Atlas of the World is as up-to-date as can be in the post-September 11 world. ""Site of former World Trade Center"" says one caption on an updated map of lower Manhattan- and Baghdad has been added to the 67 maps of major cities around the world, including Moscow, Lisbon and Jerusalem. Statistics on the U.S. have been updated from the 2000 Census, and a new Gazetteer of Nations offers easy reference. But the heart, and strength, of this atlas remains the hundreds of colorful, beautifully detailed maps, conveying not only topographical features but also disputed boundaries, railways and principal roads. This is an indispensable reference for students as well as anyone interested in the state of the world, from population statistics to the environment and our impact on it. It will provide hours of happy, fascinating browsing.