(U.S.) Our U.S.A. - A Gay Geography, Frank & Ruth Taylor (White), 1938
The idea of a pictorial atlas that gives a map for each state, or a small region wasn't new. Elma and Berta Hader had made one in 1932, and Vernon Quinn with Paul Spener-Johst had done one in 1931. It could even be argued that there were European examples that had worked with the same premise a few years earlier like Pinchon's great atlas for France (1927) or the beautiful works by Giovanni De Agostini (1930). But this work by the brother and sister team of the Taylor's, seems to have captured the approach with a style and whimsy with a general look at regional character and culture that summed up an American sensibility for the time.
A great landmark in the arc of American pictorial cartography, and an interesting overview for Ruth's approach to pictorial cartography.
This complete atlas gives sixty maps for the states and territories of the time, with bright color, and on clean thick sheets. Binding is solid, though the cloth boards are torn and faded with some light soiling.
