The Nine Nations of North America [Paperback]

Joel Garreau (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1982

The Nine Nations of North America is a book written in 1981 by Joel Garreau. In it, Garreau suggests that North America can be divided into nine regions, or "nations", which have distinctive economic and cultural features. He also argues that conventional national and state borders are largely artificial and irrelevant, and that his "nations" provide a more accurate way of understanding the true nature of North American society. Paul Meartz of Mayville State University called it "a classic text on the current regionalization of North America".[1] The Nations reflected here are included in a Michael F. Flynn short story, in which all the Nine Nations have gained independence.

Product Details

• Paperback: 427 pages
• Publisher: Avon Books; Worn Condition edition (June 1982)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380578859
• ISBN-13: 978-0380578856
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #59,038 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #19 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > International & World Politics > Caribbean & Latin American
  • #19 in Books > History > Americas > Caribbean & West Indies

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

84 of 89 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating -- not nearly as dated as you might suspect July 22, 2003

By Robert Burns

Format:Paperback

Joel Garreau's Nine Nations of North America is still enjoyable, particularly because it is not nearly as dated as you might suspect. I was given it as a gift in 2001 and read it expecting Garreau's fieldwork to show me how people in North American regions used to talk. However, much of what Garreau heard and felt as he traveled accorded with things I'd heard and felt in my travels in the `90s and `00s. The only thing that struck me as (semi-)dated was Garreau's devotion of a significant portion of each chapter to how that "nation" was facing the energy crisis. Is such a concern really dated, though, given how the intervening years' explorations and exploitations more or less tabled the discussion for a future date?

As the holder of a B.A. in Geography, I winced at his choice of the word `nation' when clearly the better term is `region'. Nations are not defined by their interests and way of life, but rather an elusive mix of shared histories, cultures, and socio-political happenstances. However, Garreau's work serves to remind geographers that regions are indeed best defined by interests and way of life, despite much attention given to religious or institutional commonalties (i.e. "civilizations") recently.

What do I think of Garreau's boundaries? Let me answer this way: my brother-in-law recently remarked to me that in trying to correct misconceptions his fellow students at Harvard have about the Midwest, he'd explained that he felt Michigan was a lot more like Pennsylvania (typically considered a "Northeastern/Mid-Atlantic/East Coast" state) than it was like Kansas (often grouped with Michigan as a "Midwestern" state). I laughed and handed him Joel Garreau's Nine Nations of North America. That myriad others have made similar observations I do not doubt. This is the service of Garreau's work: a corrective to our customary understanding of how North America is broken up.

Do I buy into Garreau's boundaries, though? With some minor amendments, yes. I agree that Manhattan, the D.C. area, Alaska, and Hawaii are "aberrations" and would add Central Florida to that list, or perhaps move it into "The Islands", but it is clearly no longer part of "Dixie". A more minor quibble I have would be to shift the northern boundary of the Foundry into Lake Superior rather than splitting the U.P. with "The Breadbasket" (no way Copper Harbor or Marquette is a "Breadbasket" town). If I knew northern Wisconsin better, I would say Superior and Wausau are more likely Foundry towns than they are Breadbasket; that's my suspicion based on the fact that that area is woodsy, rugged, and pocked with mills and factories, and thus perhaps not as concerned by the fate of agribusiness as Kansas City or Minneapolis is.

One last and funny (but not "ha ha funny") thing is that Garreau, in trying to circumscribe New England, notes that there's significant French population along the northern tiers of Maine and New Brunswick, and if it were not for the absurdities of political borders, would put them in with Quebec. However, one thing that characterizes New England (and that perhaps he misses) is its history and culture of significant French influence, from Nova Scotia to Rhode Island.

Highly recommended.

37 of 40 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the most insightful books ever written about the USA June 13, 1999

By Christopher Howse

Format:Paperback

Forget what you learned in any geography class you ever had. Forget what tourist brochures tell you about " their " part of the nation. And once you've forgotten that, read this book and learn what really constitutes North America both politically and sociologically. Joel Garreau has produced a masterwork that should be required reading for every citizen. Even if you think you know your part of the country, Mr. Garreau will provide an update to your knowledge that takes your from " knowing " to " understanding ". And without any apparent prejudice. Whether he is relating cities to areas or peoples to states, he gets it right and in an amazingly readable fashion. Is your company considering transferring you to Seattle? Read about Ecotopia. Do you fear that new position in Kansas City? Peruse the section on the " Breadbasket " and re-think the issue. Mr. Garreau had the presence of mind to realize that our country was a larger entity than 50 states and some off-shore islands. " The Nine Nations of North America " draws everything together and, for once, North America is at peace with itself. And, hopefully, its neighbors. On a personal note, I've given perhaps 600 copies of this book since it was published in 1980. Don't let that date deter you: It's as relevant and accurate now as then. Mr. Garreau loves North America and so will you. Just put yourself in his most competent hands and re-discover the greatness of our part of the planet.C

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Dated, but still excellent July 31, 2005

By doc peterson VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

So frequently we hear pundits and others refer to "red states" and "blue states." Garreau's _9 Nations of North America_ pre-supposes this by almost 25 years, and with a greater degree of finesse than such blanket simplifications as "red" or "blue."

Certainly many parts of the book are quaint - I particularly enjoyed his emphasis on Seattle's aviation industry and the emerging Silicon Valley of California. Yet the larger issue he points out: that North America is culturall divided primarily by economics, but also by social outlook and culture, remains relevant and hauntingly accurate.

Taken with a grain of salt to make allowances for the time that has passed since its publication (I, too, would welcome a revised edition), it is a fascinating read on America and largly remains relevant, particularly in the age of NAFTA and CAFTA.