In 1793, a canal digger named William Smith made a startling discovery. He found that by tracing the placement
of fossils, which he uncovered in his excavations, one could follow layers of rocks as they dipped and rose and
fell�clear across England and, indeed, clear across the world�making it possible, for the first time ever, to draw
a chart of the hidden underside of the earth. Smith spent twenty-two years piecing together the fragments of this
unseen universe to create an epochal and remarkably beautiful hand-painted map. But instead of receiving accolades
and honors, he ended up in debtors' prison, the victim of plagiarism, and virtually homeless for ten years more.
The Map That Changed the World is a very human tale of endurance and achievement, of one man's dedication in the
face of ruin. With a keen eye and thoughtful detail, Simon Winchester unfolds the poignant sacrifice behind this
world-changing discovery.