Thematic Cartography and Geographic Visualization (2nd Edition) (Prentice Hall Series in Geographic Information Science)
This comprehensive book bridges the evolution in cartography by presenting both traditional methods and recently developed cartographic techniques.  It provides a compendium of methods for symbolizing and visualizing spatial data, from the traditional methods that presume a communication model to computer-based techniques that provide a means of data visualization.  For anyone interested in designing maps in the realm of GIS.