Customer Reviews

Topophilia: A Study of Environmental Perception, Attitudes, and Values

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After reading Yi-Fu Tuan's "Space and Place: The Perspective of Experience," delving into "Topophilia" is a bit like stepping backward in the philosopher's evolution of thought. There are astounding passages of wisdom here, about the nature of human experience as it relates to the environment -- interspersed, sometimes jarringly, with related histories and descriptions. The seeds of Tuan's "humanistic geography" are here, but are not as philosophically compelling as the mature synthesis found in "Space and Place."

It would be a mistake, however, to view Tuan's more mature work as superceding this volume. "Topophilia" is full of amazing sensitivity and insight, and key to gaining a deep and useful understanding of the author's philosophy. This book's emphasis on the conventional 'environment' is also significantly different from the broader notions 'space and place' explored in the later work of that name. Both works are seminal.

To the philosopher, artist, and psychologist, I would recommend reading "Space and Place" before this book. To the geographer and especially the environmentalist, however, Topophilia's particular focus may be a more enticing place to start.

This is considered one of the most important essays among geographers, and being a geographer myself, i actually thought of this book (before buying it) as the one everyone involved in this subject should read.
I have to say that while it is very well written, poetic and strong it doesn't really add anything specific to the community. I found it just a collection of many themes and ideas touched and developed by others in the past. Don't get me wrong, the book is beautiful and thanks to its fluidity it's a pleasure to read it, but it is more of a global vision of things .