Barely Maps

by Peter Gorman

Available on www.barelymaps.com

Barely Maps is a collection of 100 minimalist maps, originally inspired by a one-year, 11,000-mile, solo bicycle trip around the U.S. and Canada. The book is also a story about the bike trip, the designs themselves, and all of the other stuff—before and after.

Genres: Nonfiction

208 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2019

Reviews

[Polly Aird · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original take on places in the U.S.--from states down to intersections in numerous cities. The latter look like Asian language characters. I took one of his intersections from Seattle near where I live and then compared it to Google Maps, and it was spot on. But doing it in simplified graphic style raises it to a level of art. Everything about the book is excellent--paper and printing quality, colors, text to tell about why the author decided to "map" something, and the graphics themselves. A wonderful book.

[ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genuine. Beautiful. Personal. Fun. Easy. It was simply a joy. I read the entire book in one evening, but can keep coming back to the maps for their joyful simplicity. It was fun to feel along for the ride on Peter's excellent adventure of self discovery.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved it and will come back to it again and it. I look forward to sharing it with others. Highly recommend. The story is touching and the maps are amazing!

[Glen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads drawing.

A combination of art book and autobiography by some guy who took a bike ride across the country. Inspired by the trip, he began making minimalist maps of various places, intersections and the like, and selling them to make a living. Most of the pictures are interesting, and this is a very nice book.

The autobiography was sad. The author spent almost his entire life scared of everyone in the country that lived outside of New York and Boston. Then he actually met his own countrymen and found out they were actually nice people. It's sad he feared his own people for so long, just because he was so parochial, and because his teachers filled his mind with nonsense.

[Lindie · Rating 5 out of 5]

For anybody that likes maps, travel, or a sense of place, this book is a delight. It's perfect for keeping on the coffee table, and enjoy dropping in and out of the maps rendered into art.

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful selection of minimalist maps and hometown intersections. Go Syracuse!

[Nick]

The "intersections of Saint Paul" one, should be on a t-shirt!

[Doug Houck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I met Peter Gorman last week at the Hilo Farmers Market--fascinated by his map of Seattle intersections. Peter is an artist, a mapmaker, a poet, a bicyclist. In this book of maps and intersections he chronicles his 11,000 mile bicycle journey around the perimeter of the US and southern Canada. The book is poetry, intersections, maps and graphic representations of National Parks, gayberhoods, islands, buildings, mass transit, church pews and so much more.
The book is whimsical. I laughed, I examined the maps, the intersections - as cities and states I have lived in were well represented. Reading Gorman's book gave me as much joy as touring The Giant's House in Akora, New Zealand: much joy.

[Patrick Hodgens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique blend of design and memoir. Great coffee table book for map nerds and also compelling to read through cover-to-cover. Highly recommend.