Customer Reviews

Physical Geography: A Landscape Appreciation (7th Edition)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Obviously written by authors who have a deep appreciation for this subject and a desire to pass on their knowledge, this text is useful not just for students of physical geography, but for anyone wanting a deeper understanding of geopolitics, area studies, anthropology, world history, etc. For example, I would have no clue about the culture, history and politics of Central Asia/Afghanistan and vicinity (my area of interest) without having a comprehensive understanding of the physical terrain and climate of this region--and how its inhabitants have adapted to it. I would not have gained this understanding without reading this text.

My only complaint is that I had hoped for more emphasis on environmental issues. The authors may feel that this is beyond the scope of an introductory text; but problems such as the shrinking Aral Sea and tropical rainforest destruction are so widely catastrophic that I believe they deserve greater attention and understanding even at the introductory level.

I remember this book from when I was an undergraduate, lo these many years ago (OK, so it was an earlier edition)! I'm glad to see it is still available and updated -- I enjoyed it then and I am using it now in answering the questions my children throw at me.

This is an excellent resource book. I probably wouldn't pick it up as a light read at bedtime, but if you are interested in this topic you could do far worse than to get _Physical Geography_.

Although the authors clearly have a deep command and even affection for their subject, the text in this book is often murky. It is a serviceable work for beginners, but certainly not for novices to the area of physical geography. More strict editing and a more "user-friendly" layout in the text are called for, although the graphics do a generally competent job of illustrating more difficult concepts. I would recommend this book with reservations.

book came how it was described. it did take til the last day of the time it was suppose to be here.

Seller's listing was totally accurate.
Fast shipment, too. I'd buy from this
5Star seller again.

This amiable and well-written tome is a virtual soup-to-nuts survey of all aspects of Physical Geography. It is currently up to its ninth edition (2007) and still going strong; but the lay reader will not forego all that much by opting for this much cheaper seventh edition. (Amazon says it dates from 2001 but the publication page of my copy says 2002.)

By "Physical Geography" the discipline means a standard geographic treatment, but generally only of the earth and ocean, and for the earth and ocean. Thus we find sections that deal with impoverishment of soil by its inhabitants but not, specifically, the human geography of big cities. There are sections that deal in soils and rock forms, glaciations and wind forms; in this it is very near geology but doesn't deal much with what is in the earth to be mined. It is not strictly speaking, EnviSci but has chapters on our planet's flora and fauna and introduces the concept and range of biomes. It deals with plate tectonics and fault lines but not, say, with the demographic import or civil preparedness of earthquakes.

But as a Cook's Tour of the discipline, it is . . . well, disciplined, and students should be ready to work through topics such as Mechanisms of Heat Transfer, the Pressure of Atmosphere and Wind, and Modification of the General Circulation before getting into meteorology as such. It helped me greatly that this text is not for the proto-scientist, but for the numerically illiterate like me; and that its writing style is surprisingly engaging for an academic text, working logically from one topic to the next and not pounding any more terminology than is necessary.

I want to point out two small aspects of PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY that meant a great deal to me. The Koeppen-Geiger-Trewartha world climate zone map (pp. 208-209) is one of the best I've ever seen; it is followed up by a first-rate discussion of major climatic regimes and representative world cities: Chicago, Illinois and Shenyang, China have similar "Humid Continental" climates, for example. Also, the book appends not only common meterological symbols as found on a topographic (here: weather) map but also the full range of U.S. Weather Station symbols.

All in all, PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY: A LANDSCAPE APPRECIATION (7th), is a very hardy perennial and can be had cheap if necessary, which is not the case for the succeeding eighth and ninth editions. Working through this book, or most of it, will produce a very well-informed undergraduate or lay reader.

This is a great book. It has the same information as the 9th edition. I needed this book for my Geology class. The illustrations are great and I love the maps. It also comes with a CD.

Fall 2004 & Spring 2005 Students: the 8th edition of this book is published and comes with a CD, and, in some cases, a free world atlas. Check with your instructor for requirements. In any case, I wouldn't spend $100 for the 7th edition.

Haven't read the book yet, so no rating.

One of the most easily understood texts with a great index, glossary, and many illustrations that are very well done.

This book was well written. The text is concise, yet packed full of information. The definitions are clear and the diagrams are well drawn. All in all a very useful book.