David Turnbull Books

"The map is not the territory" is a cartographic truism. It means that unless the map is drawn on a mile-to-mile scale and has the same physical characteristics as the territory itself, it cannot be perfectly accurate. But as David Turnbull demonstrates, the map is a metaphor not only for the territory it represents but for the culture that created it. As such, it takes on the meaning of the territory and its importance in that culture. In this ingenious book, Turnbull challenges common assumptions about the nature of cartography. In each of ten "exhibits" he addresses a seemingly basic concept—that a map is be factually accurate, for example, or that its symbols refer to concrete elements of the landscape—and then illustrates its complexities with maps from Western, Asian, and native cultures, from prehistoric to modern times, accompanied by quotations and historical background. The "exhibits" show how different cultures express their relation to the land, and how those differences ultimately define not only territory but also domination—religious, ideological, cultural, and political. An ideal introduction to the concepts of cartography, this book teaches not only how to read maps, but how to read them between the lines.

Dragons are under threat of extinction. Relentlessly hunter by airship captains from Tennanbrau who are stealing their breath to use as gas for the balloons. On the day of his sister's sixteenth birthday twelve year old Euan Redcap is kidnapped by Mrs Zachariah and the crew of the Drunken Molly. Forced to join them in their quest to bring down the biggest prize of all, the legendary White Sow, will he ever find his way back home? The journey will take Euan from his home and family in the Low Counties to the Far Tundra and back again via the magnificent sky reaching City of Tennanbrau. Along the way he will make new friends and sworn enemies, while overcoming many hurdles and personal challenges. His fantastical journey will not on only change him as a person, but will possibly change the course of history for his entire world.

Featuring a diverse array of 100-word stories, this collection offers everything from obscure narratives to intense, blood-soaked tales. The intriguing variety ensures readers will find something captivating, sparking inspiration and creativity. It's an invitation to enjoy the thrill of storytelling, and perhaps even ignite a passion for writing one's own short tales.

This book provides a fascinating study of a community of scientists at the prestigious Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Science in Melbourne, Australia. These scientists are mainly concerned with investigating the immune system, which enables us to cope with the many bacteria andviruses that invade our bodies. The Hall Institute scientists are part of a distinctive subculture, with its own myths and rites of passage, which can be investigated in much the same way as anthropologists investigate 'primitive' cultures. The volume shows how scientific programs and methods areshaped by cultural factors, including social, political, and economic constraints, and by the Institute's setting and the ethos of the new biology. The emphasis is on how science is actually done in concrete situations as distinct from what scientists say they do, and what philosophers andhistorians and sociologists of science theorize about what they do. Life Among the Scientists will be of great interest to scientists, students of the philosophy, history, and sociology of science, anthropologists and social scientists, and the general reader who wants to know what the scientificlife is really like.