Harm de Blij's Geography Book: A Leading Geographer's Fresh Look at Our Changing World

By H.J. de Blij

Book Overview

Praise for Harm de Blij "Television's first geography correspondent ... is a worldly authority who covers major news events by explaining how each one has been influenced by geography." --TV Guide "A big-league crowd pleaser who explains terra incognita for the legions who failed Cradle of Civilization 101 the first time around." --People magazine "Start a world crisis, and de Blij will take to the airwaves explaining its geographic background." --Washington magazine "Geography is the science of place. Its vision is grand, its view panoramic. It sweeps the surface of the Earth, charting the physical, organic, and cultural terrains ... Harm de Blij has reminded us of the matching valence of erudition and beauty in science and its communication." --Science "De Blij's former students are more than happy to talk about the influence he had on them. Students from the 1960s--now professors, deans, and department chairs--speak of his charisma, intellect, and spellbinding lectures as if they had just walked out of his classroom." --Miami magazine

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0471116874
• ISBN13: 9780471116875
• Release Date: May 1995
• Publisher: Wiley
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.2" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

For parents everywhere.

The book is informative and well written. It challenges the imagination. In a country where geography is no longer offered to children in school it serves as beacon to a possible career choice. I gave my copy to my grandson.

Why geography is so important

This book is the best I have seen at explaining the importance of having a working knowledge of geography. I admit to prejudice, having had Professor DeBlij for SubSaharan Geography while a student a Michigan State University over 35 years ago. Time has only increased Professor DeBlij's enthusiasm and ability to communicate his expertise.Dr. Deblij traces the evolution of geography as a useful scholastic discipline by superbly relating its relevance to day-to-day living. Additionally, especially through his discussion of yet-to-be-born nations such as Catalonia, Coastal China, and others, he shows the path political and social evolution might be expected to take in the future. Knowing such things aids us in planning investments, travels, and numerous other actions. Dr. DeBlij's style is the same when I had him in lectures: sprightly, organized, and very enjoyable. You will enjoy this book on first reading, and will make recourse to it frequently after that polint. Highly recommended.

Excellent Introduction to Geography

This book makes clear what a broad and diverse field Geography is, touching on the multiple issues that Geography can be used to address. The word Geography, for most people, just brings to mind maps. Geographical knowledge does begin with having an awareness of where you are on this planet in relation to where other place names are located, but as Professor De Blij makes clear to the new Geography initiate, that is only the beginning. In simple layman's terms, the author touches on everything from maps, to the forces which shape the land, weather patterns, planning cities, boundary disputes, overpopulation, nations without homelands, claims on ocean resources, the political situation in Russia and China and Europe's efforts toward better pursuing their mutual interests. His enthusiasm for his field is contagious and you will be more worldly wise for the time given in reading this book. Geographic illiteracy is more than just the inability to read a map, it is really being unaware of the great wide world around you and the many diverse peoples with whom we share it. I gladly give this book 5 stars.

Raves from a former student

Harm De Blij was my Geography professor at Michigan State University, so I am prejudiced. Even so, his brilliance is unsurpassed and I highly recommend this book.

An excellent overview of our rapidly changing world.

This book, from one of America's most popular geographers, provides an excellent overview of world geography and how it affects everyone. DeBlij discusses the use of maps, the climate, and focuses on rapidly changing areas of the world (Russia and Southeast Asia). This book is a must for anyone who wants to understand the geopolitical situation of the world today