01
Time begins at the center.
Start with ancient stories at the heart of the map. Follow the timeline as it spirals outward toward the modern world.
THE WORLD’S FIRST
Map of the Literature
A whole world. Made of books.
Imagine if literature were a place you could visit. Genres become landscapes. Great writers have their own countries. Their works appear as cities. Welcome to the Map of the Literature.
- Cartography by Martin Vargic
- Museum-quality materials
- Worldwide shipping
- 100-day returns
5,000+5,000+Years of literary history
7,000+7,000+Authors and works
55Literary continents
“We spent a half hour just looking at it for our favorite books!”Gina E. · Verified poster buyer
I. LEARN THE LANGUAGE OF THE LAND
Yes, it really is a map.
A literary map is a new way to see the stories you love. These four clues will help you read its timeline, recognize its regions and find your way around.
02
Literary forms become continents.
Prose, Poetry, Drama, Non-Fiction and Graphic Literature each have a world of their own. Your favorite kind of reading has a place here.
03
Genres become landscapes.
Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Horror. Explore the regions and see how literary genres and movements branch into one another.
04
Great writers get their own countries.
Their best-known works appear as cities. Visit Shakespeare’s realm, find Austen on the map, or head for the fantasy kingdoms.
Your first destination? A writer you love.
Discover a few literary landsII. CHOOSE YOUR FIRST DESTINATION
Where would you get lost?
Now take a closer look. Zoom in to read the smallest details, move across the artwork, or use the shortcuts below to begin exploring.
MAP OF THE LITERATUREWeb preview
Zoom in · drag to wander
1.0×Whole map
BEYOND THE COASTLINES
Even the edges
have stories to tell.
Look around the border for another view of the literary world: publishing, public libraries, bestselling books and celebrated authors. There’s more to discover beyond the coastlines.
A MAP TO COME BACK TO
Put your curiosity to work.
Start with a name you know. See where it takes you.
Find your next read
Visit a favorite author’s territory, then explore nearby names and works. Keep a reading list of discoveries that catch your eye.
Grow your literary knowledge
Learn how literature developed, from ancient stories to modern writing. Discover authors, genres and movements, and see where they fit in history.
Revisit old favorites
Find the books that stayed with you. Trace your own reading journey across the map, from childhood favorites to recent discoveries.
Start a conversation
Pick a region with a friend, family member or book club. Compare favorites, swap recommendations and choose your next stop together.
“We spent a half hour just looking at it for our favorite books!”
A GIFT FOR THEIR BOOK-LOVING SOUL
For the person who lives in books.
Buying another book means guessing what they’ve read and what they’ll enjoy. Surprise them with something they would never think to ask for: an entire world made of literature, waiting to be explored.
No guessing which book to buy.
You don’t need their reading list or a peek at their shelves. You already know the one thing that matters: they love books.
A whole world to unwrap.
First, the surprise of seeing literature turned into a map. Then the delight of finding their favorite stories and realizing how much more there is to discover.
A gift they keep coming back to.
Explore familiar authors together, then leave thousands of new names and stories for another day.
For Christmas, birthdays, thank-yous — or just because.
TAKE YOUR LOVE OF BOOKS TO WALL SCALE
Turn a wall into
a literary world.
The same extraordinary map, made as a custom-sized mural. Watch a wall become a place to get lost in literature.
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YOUR WALL. A WORLD OF STORIES.
A reading room.
A world of its own.
Bring your favorite authors into your reading room, study or library. Enter your dimensions and choose Traditional or Peel-and-Stick material.
The artwork keeps its original proportions. Your preview shows how it fits your space.
Design your muralCHOOSE YOUR FORMAT
A poster, or an entire wall.
The same literary world, made for two different spaces.
POPULAR AS A GIFTPOSTER
Rolled or framed
- Available rolled or framed
- 230 gsm museum heavyweight matte paper
- Multiple sizes for different walls
POPULAR FOR HOMES AND OFFICESMURAL
Made for entire walls
- Custom-sized to fit your wall
- Traditional or self-adhesive material
- Maximum readability with room-transforming impact
A few words from our customers
“The way it represents the difference genres and the development of literature is so clever and the design is beautiful, I can stare at it for hours!”
“I will never regret buying this beautiful “gift to myself”!”
“As a lifelong writer and devoted reader, I knew instantly that I had to have this piece of art.”
IN VERY GOOD COMPANY
Book lovers. In their own words.
Step into their reading spaces and see what they found on the map.
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“Finding the perfect gift for book lovers is tough...”
@JulesBurt
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“You can travel around literary genres just by looking at this map.”
@bethsbookshelf
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“For the reader who has everything give the gift that goes beyond pages.”
@bookswithbuzzi
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“My family and I have had so much fun just exploring this map...”
@bookmarked.by.jordy
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“It's not just an amazing piece of art, it's also a huge amount of information...”
@SFRetirementLibrary
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“A new essential for any home library...”
@wanderreadings
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“I cannot wait to get this up in my space...”
@fantasyreader.md
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“The Map of Literature is amazing! I could spend hours looking at this!”
@warnocksbooks
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“I’m completely speechless at how beautiful and detailed this map is.”
@lit.by.adam
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“Normally maps and I don't go well together but this is definitely an exception.”
@posiesandpages
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“The bookish girls treasure map ✨”
@blossomingthroughbooks
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“This map fits so perfectly in my library and I just love how unique it is.”
@classic.literature.love
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“Warning: may cause spontaneous wikipedia spirals and bookshelf rearrangements.”
@ananascanread
THE MIND BEHIND THE MAP
One artist.
A world drawn by hand.
Martin Vargic is a Slovak artist and cartographer known for turning vast subjects into richly detailed, imaginative maps. The Map of the Literature grew out of months of research and illustration, bringing thousands of authors and works into one connected picture of literary history.
Behind the finished artwork are countless decisions about which writers to include, how to represent literary movements and where each work belongs. Martin brought that research together by hand, combining the character of old atlases with his own approach to mapping ideas. A portion of every sale goes directly to Martin, supporting the artist behind the map and the time it takes to create work like this.
Hand-drawn. Not AI-generated.
An original work by Martin Vargic, created through human research and illustration.
BEFORE YOU SET OFF
A few good questions.
Is it a map of real places?
It is an imagined geography of literature. Continents represent literary forms, regions represent genres and movements, and important writers have their own territories. Dots mark authors and diamonds mark literary works. The timeline moves outward from the center.
Is it useful beyond decoration?
Use it to discover authors and works, follow literary history, or start a reading challenge with friends. It is an illustrated guide to exploration, rather than an exhaustive encyclopedia or a list of personalized recommendations.
Does it cover literature from around the world?
Yes. Alongside European and North American literature, the map includes authors and works from Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. It is a curated artistic overview, so it cannot include every writer or tradition.
Will I find my favorite author?
The map includes over 7,000 authors and works across many eras and genres, but it cannot include everyone. Its organization is an artistic interpretation of literary history.
Is the small text readable?
The overall composition is made to be admired from a distance; the fine labels are for close-up exploration. We recommend the largest size your wall comfortably allows. Screen close-ups do not represent the reading distance or text size of a physical print.
Can I explore the detail before ordering?
Yes. Open the explorer on this page to zoom into the artwork. Use the destination buttons to jump to a region, or expand the viewer for more room. The physical text size depends on the print format you choose.
Was the map created by AI?
No. The Map of the Literature is an original, hand-drawn work by Martin Vargic, developed through research and illustration.
How do I choose between a poster and a mural?
Choose a poster for a standalone piece of wall art, rolled or framed. Choose a mural for a larger installation. The mural customizer preserves the artwork’s proportions, so some wall may remain visible. Each product page shows its options and pricing.
Can I order it framed?
Yes. The poster is available rolled or framed. Choose your preferred finish on the poster product page.
What is the poster printed on?
The poster is printed on 230 gsm museum heavyweight matte paper, chosen for fine detail and a low-glare finish.
How is the mural installed?
Choose traditional or self-adhesive material on the mural product page. Watch the installation video above for a look at the process, and follow the preparation and installation instructions supplied with your order.
Can I send it directly as a gift?
Yes. Enter the recipient’s address at checkout. Packing slips do not show prices. Custom gift messages are not currently available.
How is the poster packaged?
Rolled posters are protected with tissue paper and shipped in a sturdy tube. Framed posters are protected with bubble wrap and cardboard packaging.
Can I buy a digital copy?
A standalone digital edition is not currently sold. Poster orders include a Digital Companion Pack with a lightly watermarked digital map and phone and computer wallpapers.
How long does delivery take?
Production typically takes 2–3 business days for rolled posters, 3–6 for framed posters and 2–4 for murals. Standard shipping typically takes another 2–7 business days. Timing and costs vary by destination. Read our shipping policy.
What if I change my mind or it arrives damaged?
You have 100 days to return an unused item in its original condition and packaging. Murals must not have been installed. Customer-paid return shipping applies. Report damage or defects within 14 days of delivery so we can arrange a replacement or refund. Read the full return policy.
YOUR NEXT CHAPTER
Give your love of books
a place on the wall.
Discover the Map of the Literature. Choose your format and make this world yours.