Listen to a sample
This Way Up
- Author
- Map Map Men
- Narrator
- Map Map Men
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date
- 23 October 2025
- Run Time
- 8 hours 17 minutes
- Format
- x-book®
- Genre
- General and world history, Cartography, map-making and projections, Topographic / thematic / specialist maps, Humour collections and anthologies, World / regional atlases or maps, Geopolitics, Humour, Digital, video and new media arts, Internet and digital media: arts and performance, Performing arts genres: Historical, Performing arts genres: Comedy and humour
- Rating
- 5.0 (3 reviews)
Not available in your country
We don't have the rights to sell this audiobook where you are. If it's already in your library you can still listen to it in My Books.
What to expect
A SUNDAY TIMES #1 BESTSELLER
A Waterstones Best Nature & Travel Writing Book 2025
'Educational, smart and funny’ Richard Osman
‘This book is superb’ Charlie Brooker
‘Brilliant. Fascinating. Hilarious.’ Jonn Elledge, bestselling author of A History of the World in 47 Borders
The debut book from the YouTube sensation and all-round cartographical nerds, The Map Men!
Hello, we're the Map Men, and in the following pages we've selected what we believe to be some of the very best wrong maps. Some of them are decades old, some are centuries old and some are so recent they're being published today (or yesterday, if you’re reading this tomorrow).
They include world maps, colonial maps, corporate maps, Soviet maps, pioneer maps, news maps and maps whose intended use was hijacked for a French surrealist political movement in the 1950s. Whether you’re an avid map junkie or simply ‘map-curious’, you will uncover a unique tale of adventure, error and unexpected humour in each chapter, as we attempt to answer the question: ‘What on earth happened here?’
So, ditch the compass (or disable location services) and set out on a journey with us, the Map Men, into a world of cartographic chaos and mappy mishaps.
Because the worst maps are the best maps.
Critics Review
-
‘Map Men’s unique and witty outlook translates brilliantly from their hilarious videos onto the page’ Matt Lucas
-
‘The funniest book on geography ever written’ Rufus Hound
-
'A gloriously entertaining look at how maps can get things – sometimes very big things – badly wrong’ Charlie Higson
-
‘The best book I’ve ever read (and not just because it’s the first)’ Michael Howe, author of Terrible Maps
User Reviews
Book 5.0
Narration 5.0
-
5.0 5.0
Its like an extended map men episode! That is to say fantastic, funny and flat earth like 👌
GarethJ 2026-01-11 -
5.0 5.0
Absolutely incredible, for a book that was never intended to be an audiobook it sure audiobooks better than most other audiobooks. Fantastic.
hodgepodge 2025-11-10
Details
- Author
- Map Map Men
- Narrator
- Map Map Men
- Duration
- 8 hours 17 minutes
- Release Date
- 23 October 2025
- ISBN
- 9780008710316
- Format
- x-book®
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Genre
- General and world history, Cartography, map-making and projections, Topographic / thematic / specialist maps, Humour collections and anthologies, World / regional atlases or maps, Geopolitics, Humour, Digital, video and new media arts, Internet and digital media: arts and performance, Performing arts genres: Historical, Performing arts genres: Comedy and humour
- Rating
- 5.0(3 reviews)
- Narration
- 5.0(3 reviews)
Synopsis
A SUNDAY TIMES #1 BESTSELLER A Waterstones Best Nature & Travel Writing Book 2025 'Educational, smart and funny’ Richard Osman ‘This book is superb’ Charlie Brooker ‘Brilliant. Fascinating. Hilarious.’ Jonn Elledge, bestselling author of A History of the World in 47 Borders The debut book from the YouTube sensation and all-round cartographical nerds, The Map Men! Hello, we're the Map Men, and in the following pages we've selected what we believe to be some of the very best wrong maps. Some of them are decades old, some are centuries old and some are so recent they're being published today (or yesterday, if you’re reading this tomorrow). They include world maps, colonial maps, corporate maps, Soviet maps, pioneer maps, news maps and maps whose intended use was hijacked for a French surrealist political movement in the 1950s. Whether you’re an avid map junkie or simply ‘map-curious’, you will uncover a unique tale of adventure, error and unexpected humour in each chapter, as we attempt to answer the question: ‘What on earth happened here?’ So, ditch the compass (or disable location services) and set out on a journey with us, the Map Men, into a world of cartographic chaos and mappy mishaps. Because the worst maps are the best maps.
About xigxag and the x-book®
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
Our x-book® format is the only fully integrated listen-and-read experience available. See the text on screen as you listen, look up words, take notes, search within the book, and share quotes. It is especially useful for accessibility, language learning, and getting more from non-fiction. Look for the purple x-book® ribbon on the cover, or filter your search by "x-book" to find them.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.