SIERRA VISTA — Doug Phillips was a boy who liked to collect stamps.

Now, Phillips said, that hobby has come alive as he is one of the contributing writers of “Earth,” a new atlas that “examines the world as you’ve never seen it before, with new emphasis on current political, social and environmental landscapes,” according to the Web site of the publishing company, Millennium House Publishers.

Phillips, who has published books about 17 books, including several on geography, was approached by the atlas’ publisher, based in Sydney, Australia, because of the work he’s done.

“I’ve been to weird places,” he said.

Doug Phillips holds the soon-to-be-released “Earth” atlas Friday in his Sierra Vista home. Phillips, a curriculum teacher, was a contributing writer to the new atlas. (Mark Levy-Herald/Review)

Phillips started his life out as a teacher, but has since traveled the world doing education and civics training.

“I’ve been fortunate,” he said.

The contributing writers got to pick their countries to write about. Phillips wrote about 25 to 30 countries, from Portugal to Nigeria to Vietnam.

“Virtually all of them I’ve traveled and worked in at one time or another,” Phillips said, explaining there was no extra travel necessary to write about his topics. “Between work travel and then personal interest travel, it just all goes together.”

A limited edition of the book goes for $3,500, while Phillips said his own copy was not quite so pricey. It is, however, about a 2-foot-tall book.

“It is absolutely gorgeous,” he said. “I wish I could take credit.”

The 576-page book boasts more than 750 photos and illustrations, as well as 150 pages of maps.

Phillips said it was great to see his four to five months of work in its finished form.

“It was fun,” he said. “Especially seeing the pictures tied with the text.”

Phillips said he is planing to contribute to another book with Millennium House Publishers, called “Maritimea,” which he said will be a similar type of book, only about oceans.

Phillips said it’s been great to tie his passion as a child into his life as an adult.

“Those stamps that I used to collect when I was 8 years old as a Cub Scout have all come alive,” he said.

Herald/Review reporter Katie Evans can be reached at 515-4611 or by e-mail at katie.evans@svherald.com.

ON THE NET

• Millennium House Publishers: http://www.millenniumhouse.com.au