10 Geographic Ideas That Changed the World [Paperback]

Susan Hanson (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0813523575 | ISBN-13: 978-0813523576 | Publication Date: January 1, 1997

"A wonderfully engaging book for those who wish to appreciate better the contributions made by geographers toward a better understanding of our world. It describes success stories that challenge geographers to achieve more." --Edward A. Fernald, past president National Council for Geographic Education and professor of geography, Florida State University "An excellent and very readable introduction to the subject of modern geography." --Risa Palm, professor of geography and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, University of Oregon When geographic ideas change the world in our heads, the impact can be read on the ground and in our lives. In these thought-provoking, witty essays, some of America's most distinguished geographers explore ten geographic ideas that have literally changed the world and the way we think and act. They tackle ideas that impose shape on the world, ideas that mold our understanding of the natural environment, and ideas that establish relationships between people and places. Every one of these ideas has had--and continues to have--a deep effect on the way we understand the world and our place in it. The contributors, who include several past presidents of the Association of American Geographers, members of the National Academy of Sciences, and authors of major works in the discipline, are: Elizabeth K. Burns, Patricia Gober, Anne Godlewska, Michael F. Goodchild, Susan Hanson, Robert W. Kates, John R. Mather, William B. Meyer, Mark Monmonier, Edward Relph, Edward J. Taaffe, and B. L. Turner, II. 10 Geographic Ideas That Changed the World, a compelling introduction to the discipline of geography, will change the way you look at both geography and the world! Susan Hanson is a professor of geography, Clark University, and a past president of the Association of American Geographers.

Product Details

• Paperback: 258 pages
• Publisher: Rutgers University Press (January 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813523575
• ISBN-13: 978-0813523576
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #306,843 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great service to a little-understood discipline., January 24, 2007

By 

James Hayes-Bohanan "jhayesboh" (Bridgewater, Mass USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 10 Geographic Ideas That Changed the World (Paperback)

Geography is as important as ever, but little studied in the United States. Because geography overlaps so many other social and natural sciences, it is often difficult to convey exactly what the discipline is, aside from memorizing state capitals.

This text provides a great service by bringing together ten prominent geographers, each of whom describes one area of geographic thought. The result is not a comprehensive guide to the discipline, but it is a good introduction to its broad scope.

3 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Geographic Ideas for Undergraduates or Nongeographers, February 25, 2001

By 

[e-mail] (~Geoubiquitous) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 10 Geographic Ideas That Changed the World (Hardcover)

I have just finished reading up to page 81 of the 225 pages of Susan Hanson's "10 Geographic Ideas That Changed The World". I have already read 1/3 of this book and so far I am aghast at the simplistic presentation of the chapter compendiums. It seems that many graduate Geographic Thought courses around the United States have prescribed this reading to it's graduate students. While I do not attend an ivy league university, I consider this book to be more at the level of an undergraduate's study. I have yet to read anything new or epiphanous in Hanson's book. In fact, I can equate this book to be similar to reading any of the ESRI books designed for nongeographer types that desire to skim the surface of geography. I keep hoping for more substance, but if I have judged this book in hast, I will return with such a statement. The positive side is that this book didn't cost much in comparison to other assigned texts and the book's cover design is brilliant.