I just finished that book you recommended last week — the one about the history of mapmaking. I have to say, I was surprised by how engaging it was. I thought it might be a bit dry, but the stories about early explorers and how they pieced together coastlines were genuinely fascinating. There's this one chapter about the Pacific voyages that really stood out — the detail about how they navigated using stars and currents was incredible. The author has a way of making history feel immediate. Anyway, I've already started the next one in the series which covers the mapping of the American West. Let me know if you want to borrow it when I'm done. I think you'd really enjoy the writing style — it's detailed but not overwhelming.

Also, I found a podcast interview with the author where she talks about the research process. It added another layer to the whole experience. Highly recommend giving it a listen.