Pages: 304
Published: 2010
From Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University: "The Power of Place is a tour-de-force, a [captivating] and deeply knowledgeable account of the [essential] ways in which 'place', the Earth's physical geography, shapes global society. The world, we learn, is not flat but is indeed a rugged terrain, in which climate, topography, natural [dangers], pathogens and much more, shape economy, politics, language, culture, and power. The Power of Place is a treat for the specialist and a thrilling eye-opener for the general reader."
From Doomdayer520: "de Blij applies geographic theory to topics like health, literacy, urbanization, and many others with surprising connections to cultural and physical geography. The book contains many excellent maps and de Blij writes in [an accessible] style. Granted, de Blij's thoughts on religious conflict seem rather simplistic, and the closing chapter on proposed solutions to geographic problems is a bit unfocused, with vague prescriptions that don't line up with the details of the previous chapters. But otherwise, this is a rewarding book for those [fascinated by] the diversity of the world's peoples and their experiences, and you'll find that the world is only "flat" for certain economic elites. For everyone else, geography [establishes] many "rough" cultural and economic landscapes that will preserve not just diversity but also inequality."
This book not only shows how contemporary problems are linked to geography, but also suggests solutions to the tribulations it discusses.
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