Douglas W SimsDouglas Sims was an independent scholar who devoted decades to the study of early cartography, and in particular, Italian cartography of the sixteenth century. With a degree in Slavic languages, Sims made a living by teaching English to non-native spakers. When not so engaged, he devoted countless hours to researching the life and works of Giacomo Gastaldi. He completed the first version of this book in typescript and copyrighted it in 2014. He spent the next eight years revising the manuscript and readying it for publication, work made more arduous by his and his wife's cascading medical problems. At Doug's request, Robert Karrow began providing feedback on the manuscript in 2023, work he was still engaged in when he learned of Doug's tragic death in December 2023 as a result of injuries suffered in a house fire. Karrow and Doug's sister Margot Sims took it on themselves to see the book into print. Read More Read Less