Words on the Map
Isaac Asimov's Words on the Map explores the etymology of over 1500 geographical names across the world, presented in entertaining one-page essays with indexes.
This book, "Words on the Map" by Isaac Asimov, is not a story with a plot that unfolds. Instead, it is a book where the author, a man who knew much about science and the world, takes us on a journey across the map. Think of it as a series of short trips, each focused on a particular place, like a country, a city, a river, or even a mountain.
Asimov, with his clear and simple way of writing, explains where the names of these places come from. He digs into history, language, and sometimes even myths to uncover the roots of these names. You might learn that Iowa, a state in America, possibly means a place for “the sleepy ones,” which might surprise people who live there. Or you might discover that New York, a very busy city, gets its name from the yew tree.
The book is set up with many short pieces, about 250 in total, each taking up just one page. In these small spaces, Asimov talks about more than 1500 different names. He looks at all the states and big cities in the United States, as well as important places in other parts of the world, like their big cities, countries, mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas.
As you read through these explanations, you start to see the world in a new way. The names on the map are not just labels; they are like frozen bits of history. They whisper tales of explorers who walked through unknown lands long ago. They echo the strong feelings and beliefs of people who lived in different times.
Sometimes, the reasons behind a name are quite surprising, even funny. For example, there is a place in New Jersey with a name that might make you think of Julius Caesar, a famous Roman, but he probably never knew about it. The city of Troy in New York is named after the old city of Troy you might have read about, but another city called Troyes in France is not. And the German city of Worms has nothing to do with the little creatures we call worms.
You find out that places get their names for all sorts of reasons. Some are named after gods or holy people, like Saint Augustine in Florida. Others are named for kings or presidents, like Louisiana for a French king and Louisville for another. Even regular people, sometimes people we might not even remember, can have a place named after them.
Asimov himself says that the map is like a fascinating storybook. In this book, he tries to capture some of that fascination and share it with the reader. He gives you tools to explore this geography of words, with two lists at the end, one for people and one for places, to help you find your way.
Even though this book does not have a single story with a beginning, middle, and end, it builds up your understanding of how our world got its names. Each page adds a small piece to the larger picture of human history, exploration, and the way we see and label the places around us. As you read more, you start to see connections between names and events that you might not have noticed before. You begin to understand that the names on the map are not random; they are clues to the past.
The book leads you to understand that language and history are deeply tied to the places we call home and the world we live in. It shows how the movements of people, their beliefs, their leaders, and even their mistakes have left their mark on the maps we use today. Asimov’s work helps you see the world not just as a collection of locations, but as a living record of human experience.
So, while "Words on the Map" is not a story in the traditional sense, it is a captivating exploration of the stories behind the names we find on the map. It is a journey through history and language, guided by a writer who knew how to make even the most factual topics interesting and easy to understand.
