Many lines on the map are worth far more than a thousand words, going well beyond merely marking divisions between nations. In this eye-opening investigation into the most remarkable points on the map, a single boundary might, upon closer inspection, reveal eons of history--from epic tales of conquest, treaties, and alliances to intimate, all-too-human stories of love, greed, and folly. By listening to the stories these borders have to tell, we can learn how political identities are shaped, why the world's boundaries look the way they do--and what they tell us about our world and ourselves.    368 pages  hc