Editorial Review

Explaining what William McNeill called Read more

Reviews (917)

too long
This book REALLY needs an editor. It is just too long. Mr. Diamond goes over the same points over and over in excruciating detail. My solution was just to skip paragraphs detailing exactly how to carbon-date pinecones for the 20th time.
questionable from the beginning
I haven't yet finished the book, but have found reason to doubt the Mr. Diamond in the preface and prologue alone.In the preface, Diamond states that the readers are not about to read a "racist treatise" and that the book doesn't "involve human racial differences at all."Skip a few pages to the prologue and Diamond postulates "Why did New Guineans wind up technologically primitive, despite what I believe to be their superior intelligence?"Is New Guinean a race?Maybe, maybe not... but reverse the statement and then see how the critics chime in.
Not as compelling as "Collapse" but a good read nontheless.
Diamond presents a look at the evolution of various Cultures throughout the World and how geography has played an important part in their developement.The reason that Eurasia and North Africa evolved more highly developed (technologically anyway) cultures was that there was a wider variety of wild plant and animal species that could be tamed by the humans living in those areas following the Ice Age than there was available to humans in other parts of the world.This enabled people in these areas to develope farming societies (which required more specializations than hunter gatherer societies) more quickly than in other parts of the globe.
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Subjects:  1. Anthropology - General    2. Archaeology / Anthropology    3. Civilization    4. Ethnology    5. History    6. Human Geography    7. Life Sciences - Evolution    8. Social Science    9. Social evolution    10. Sociology    11. Evolution    12. Sociology, Social Studies    13. World history    14. Reading Group Guide   

Reviews (3)

Too tedious and unorganized
Although I recognize the intelligence of the author, I would not recommend this book to anyone who is not assigned to have it. The book does very little to help the reader comprehend the information beyond the "Key Terms." I, too, am taking an AP/IB Human Geography Course, and I found this textbook utterly useless. Please, save your money and time and buy a better book. Of course, if you are in college and like to waste your time reading tedious books, then this is your ticket!

Refund
I realized after placing the order that I wasn't quite ready to buy the book and my money was refunded instantly.
Great for AP Human Geography
Currently I am taking an AP Human Geography class in my high school and this is the book we were assigned to buy.This book has wonderful charts and pictures along with descriptions.This book goes into depth and doesn't only touch the surface.I recomend this book to AP Human Geography teachers and students! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Earth Sciences - Geography    2. Human Geography    3. Social Science    4. Sociology    5. Science / Geography   

Reviews (12)

Pretty Good
I am a geography and world history teacher and this book was suggested at a workshop I attended.I teach 9th & 10th grade. Some of my 9th grade students HATED coloring and some of them thought it was great.I might suggest using this as an alternate assignment for visual learners or anyone with dyslexia who has a hard time creating maps.

Excellent Educational Material
This is an excellent coloring book! It has a wealth of information about all of the countries of the world. Although this was written for a 5th or 6th grade level, this coloring book could be appropriate for children as young as 4 or 5 to begin to introduce them to world geography. There are supplemental maps in the back of the book which are designed to help identify major empires throughout the ages (e.g. Ottoman Empire) which can be very helpful for students of history in addition to students of geography. The section containing country flags was also a great resource.

Geography Coloring Book
Wynn Kapit's Geography coloring book is full of excellent maps.It is definitely geared for older elementary on up.I used it with my 7 year old; we adapted the maps to fit our needs.The maps are really detailed.There is a lot of good information in the book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Earth Sciences - Geography    2. Science    3. Science/Mathematics    4. Human geography    5. Regional geography    6. Science / Geography   

Reviews (2)

The phenomenology of space and place
In "Space and Place: The Perspective of Experience," Tuan provides a descriptive account of the concepts "space" and "place," drawing on the work of phenomenologists, anthropologists, psychologists, geographers, and others.He grounds his analysis in a structuralist framework, using anthropological research to illustrate how our experiences of space and place can "transcend cultural particularities" (Tuan 1977, p. 5).Tuan provides an original and intriguing discussion of a wide range of topics, such as the relationship between space and place, on the one hand, and myths, architecture, time, religion, and cognition, on the other.I would highly recommend this work to anyone interested in human geography, cultural geography, urban geography, urban studies, and to anyone interested in gaining a better understanding of the importance of space and place for our lives.

The Importance of Meaning in Architecture
This book was one of several books I studied to better understand the roleof place in architecture and interior design.It helped me understand theimportance of working with clients to understand the meanings they inferfrom the environment around them. In the book, Tuan highlights theimportance of meaning and an insider's view.He describes place ashumanized space.The contrast of open space with enclosed, comfortingareas enhances both.As a person's emotional bond to a space increases, sodo familiarity, comfort, and the sense of insideness.Without personalcontrol over space, this emotional bond is slow to develop.To createplace, Tuan suggests that memorable architecture should strenghen ourmemories, enhance the self, and provide layers of meaning to a space. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Environmental Science    2. Environmental Studies    3. Human Geography    4. Politics/International Relations    5. Social Science    6. Cultural studies   

Reviews (25)

Great and Important Book
Everyone who cares about the earth and the fate of humanity should read this book.

Best book on global warming and its consequences
As I was researching global warming for my novel, The Remembering, A Novel of Karma and Global Peril, I read five books on the subject.By far, Harmann's was the most thoughtful and helpful, especially his discussion of how "ancient sunlight" -- oil and other fossil fuels -- engendered the industrial revolution and an unsustainable expansion of human population since the 1880's.Especially useful was his projection of how the human race will fare when oil supplies dwindle during this century along with mass population displacements.There are certain ignore-ant politicians who would benefit from this information and its visionary suggestions on how we might correct our shortsighted errors before it's too late.
Please read this review before you blow your money
Listen.. if you have NEVER had a high school science class and need refresher CHAPTERS about how photosynthesis works, if you have a 30 second memory and can forget that you read two sentences in two consecutive paragraphs which were identical, if you have no idea about what's going on in the world and you are making an honest attempt to understand.. this is the book for you.If you passed basic biology in high school, try a big boy book, like Guns, Germs and Steal.
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Subjects:  1. Alternate Spirituality    2. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    3. Environmental Policy    4. Environmental protection    5. General    6. Human Geography    7. Human ecology    8. Philosophy    9. Political Science    10. Politics/International Relations    11. Spirituality - General    12. Central government policies    13. Conservation of the environment    14. Current Events / General    15. The Environment   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (194)

The original survival book.
The book is extremely entertaining and it might save your life, too. It covers scenarios James Bond would aspire to.
tongue in cheek
I enjoyed all of the worst case scenario books.There are several in the series.Each has a few helpful hints but is essentially packed with tongue in cheek advice about surviving various circumstances; your job, parenthood, and this book is a general survival guide.
Hilarious!
I bought this book for my son because it's on his "wish list." I laughed so loud in my bathroom that my husband thought I'd won the war with my grey hair again (I pluck them religiously). The book is so funny but matter-of-factly, I couldn't help but making mental notes when I read the section, "How to land a plane." Do I feel safer when I travel? You bet! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. First aid in illness and injury    2. Form - Essays    3. Handbooks, manuals, etc    4. Humor    5. Personal & Practical Guides    6. Reference    7. Survival skills    8. Wilderness survival    9. American English    10. Humour    11. Reference / Handbooks & Manuals    12. Self-Help & Practical Interests    13. Sports   

Reviews (3)

I'd prefer a 3 1/2 for this book
As a graduate student in Library and Information Studies, I was assigned this book in one of my courses.As textbooks in this field go, Case's book is more readable than most.As mentioned by an earlier reviewer, it is an in-depth literature review, and since it is for one of the required courses which had to be taken early on, it will be a useful reference in future classes.In fact, it is a book that I will retain simply as a source of information on possible research material.
I have to disagree with a Reader from England...
I'm currently enrolled in a doctoral program in Information Science and, while this book isn't the sum total of all LIS knowledge, I've found it invaluable as a reference on Information Seeking.Few other places will you find this level of literature review laid out in such a compact way.I use it nearly every day in my studies and I'm grateful that Don Case wrote it.It's a roadmap and guidebook for my studies. The case of a failed survey mission....
I was excited by the possibility of a suitable overview of information seeking, I obtained the book a.s.a.p.I was willing to forgive the high price in favour of a good text.Read more

Subjects:  1. Education    2. General    3. Human Geography    4. Human information processing    5. Information Management    6. Information retrieval    7. Library & Information Science    8. Reference    9. Research    10. Social Science    11. Sociology    12. Sociology - General    13. Language Arts & Disciplines / Library & Information Science    14. Library & Information Sciences   

Reviews (5)

The Human Mosaic
Thank you for being so prompt.I am really enjoying the book and class.

Disappointed When Received
The condition was listed as "Very Good" but when received it was marked up with yellow highlighter along with other mark-ups.I feel the condition should have been rated lower.I have to say the book was received in a timely manner.

informative but biased
I took courses with Dr. Lester Rowntree during 1981 and 1990 at San Jose State University. I found him to be very knowledgeable except about Islam.This textbook which is co-authored by Dr. Rowntree contains misleading or inaccurate statements about Islam.For example, It stated in page 180 and 181 (fourth edition), that Islam spread by militaristic conquests while christianity spread by contact conversion. This is not accurate.In page 185 the authors contended that, despite the Muslims belief, the black stone in the Holy Mosque in Mecca is a meteorite.In the next page the authors stated, under the picture of the Ka'aba, that pilgrims come from afar to Mecca, for they believe that the black stone was sent down from heaven by Allah, the Islamic god. The problems with this understatement are, first: Muslims believe that Allah is the personal name of God the creator and lord of all creatures not just Muslims;second: Muslims come to Mecca not for the sake of the black stone, but because they were commanded in the Holy Quran to perform Hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetimes. It is also appropriate to mention that the pilgrimage was first initiated at the time of the prophets Abraham and his son Ismail who built the Holy Mosque in Mecca long before the advent of Islam. Unlike the case with Judaism in page 191 this book ignored, in pages 192-193, the fact that the Islamic taboo on eating pork meat was also decreed by devine revelation in the Holy Quran. It stated that it was a "sour grapes" reaction to the inability of the Muslim nomads to raise and own pigs. Professor Rowntree and his co-author also stated in page 193 that in the seventh century A.D., the Muslim nomads imposed their religion, complete with the pork taboo, on the farming people of the river valleys as a final "revenge". In conclusion, this is a very informative and useful book. However, on behalf of the one billion Muslims in the world today, I strongly suggest rewriting the parts dealing with the Islamic culture. Thank you in advavce. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Earth Sciences - Geography    3. Human Geography    4. Social Science    5. Sociology    6. Cultural studies    7. USA   

Subjects:  1. Earth Sciences - Geography    2. Human Geography    3. Science    4. Science/Mathematics    5. Sociology    6. Human ecology    7. Science / Geography   

Subjects:  1. Economic zones (Law of the sea    2. Economic zones (Law of the sea)    3. International    4. Law    5. Legal Reference / Law Profession    6. Maritime    7. Territorial waters    8. International law of territories    9. Law of the sea    10. Political geography   

Subjects:  1. Earth Sciences - Geography    2. Economic Conditions    3. Economic geography    4. Geography (General)    5. Globalization    6. Human Geography    7. Science    8. Science/Mathematics    9. Science / Geography   

Reviews (4)

Philosophik Genius.
"The Dialectics of Seeing" is an absolutely *superb* book -- possibly the best book on philosophy I have ever read. Not yet having read the Harvard U Press edition of the Arcades Project, I don't really have anybasis for comparing the two works, but it seems to me that Buck-Morss'astonishing (incandescent) use of self-deconstructive and poetic literarytechniques in this tour de force of an "invention" of the ArcadesProject entitles it to rank as at least as dazzling and eye-opening (deepassumption-challenging) as anything else Benjamin himself wrote. Sourcesaren't important; spelling isn't important; pedantry is misleading as acriterion of value. All that matters is that the experience of reading thebook be a dialectical one -- and the experience of reading *this* book*is*. An absolutely incomparable work.

Wonderful
I have to agree with the reader from Los Angeles, and the review of November 28, 1999. This book is a lot of fun! Yes, a peculiar judgement, I know.

Subjects:  1. Europe - France    2. General    3. Philosophy    4. Germany    5. Human geography    6. Philosophy / General    7. Sociology, Social Studies    8. Western philosophy, from c 1900 -   

Reviews (2)

A cogent and persuasive warning of the harm that can come from neglecting harmful worldwide geo-social trends
Spaces Of Global Capitalism: Towards A Theory Of Uneven Geographical Development is a collection of essays about fiscal crises that have wracked the developing world, from Mexico to Indonesia, Russia and Argentina. Geographer and social theorist David Harvey criticizes the failings of modern capitalism, discusses the development of neo-liberalism, and searches for answers to the globalization of inequality in the essays "Neo-Liberalism and the Restoration of Class Power", "Notes Towards a Theory of Uneven Geographical Development", and "Space as a Key Word". Intended for scholars and students across the humanities and social sciences, Spaces Of Global Capitalism is a cogent and persuasive warning of the harm that can come from neglecting harmful worldwide geo-social trends, and is highly recommended.
a great theoretical resource
Harvey is one of the most influential theorists of our times. He has been doing some great work on global development issues. Some of his initial thoughts are recorded in a recent book called _Spaces of Global Capitalism: Towards a theory of uneven geographical development_. This is continuation of his earlier works - New Imperialism and A brief history of Neoliberlism. He repeats some of the idea in this smaller book, however, he is working on some new ideas. So if you haven't read the other books, this can be good introduction. However, to get a better idea I would recommend reading his other works.
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Subjects:  1. Capitalism    2. Economic Conditions    3. Free Enterprise    4. General    5. Political Science    6. Politics / Current Events    7. Politics/International Relations    8. Regional economic disparities    9. Space in economics    10. Development economics    11. Economic geography    12. Globalization    13. Political Science / General   

Subjects:  1. Human Geography    2. Social Science    3. Sociology    4. Geography    5. Human ecology    6. Social Science / Human Geography   

Reviews (3)

Great text for earth science teachers!
I teach middle school earth science as well as an earth science class for practicing teachers. Keller's work is excellent for science educators because it includes the environmental aspects of earth science. It takes teachers beyond the typical approaches in most earth science texts and creates a deeper and more wholistic understanding. It is the best text I have found for my earth science for teachers course and I highly recommend it.

Excellent New 8th Edition - the Best Seller for 2000
This new Eighth Edition of Enviromental Geology is welcomed by the geology profession in the year 2000.Professor Edward Keller, a leading geomorphologist at the University of California at Santa Barbara, hasperformed a timely update of his national best-seller to include newinformation in earthquake hazards, new hyperlinks for students to studygeologic hazard information on the Internet, and expansion of two chapterson water supply and water pollution.Excellent color photographs and colordiagrams are used throughout.The 8th Edition features use ofquantification ("putting some numbers on"), case histories ofcogent interest to students, closer looks at important concepts, key terms,study questions, and web hyperlinks. This textbook is highly recommendedand will be most appropriate at the Freshman or Sophomore level.It doesnot assume prior coursework in geology or earth science.It continues tobe the #1 seller in North America and is taught throughout all campuses ofthe University of California system.

Please See the New 2000 Eighth Edition
This is the best available environmental geology book, except please do not buy this older edition.Instead, browse down the Amazon list and purchase the new Eighth edition, copyright 2000.It has substantial newinformation about earthquake risk, new hyperlinks to important newwebsites.The author, Professor Edward A. Keller, is a leadinggeomorphologist and engineering geologist at the University of Californiaat Santa Barbara.This text is widely used throughout California and theWest.We are all delighted with the new 8th edition from Prentice-Hall. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Earth Sciences - Geology    2. Environmental Geology    3. Environmental Science    4. Human Geography    5. Science    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Geology & the lithosphere    8. Science / Geology    9. The Environment   

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - General    2. Colonies    3. Ethnic Studies - General    4. Europe    5. Human Geography    6. Imperialism    7. Minority Studies - Race Relations    8. Race relations    9. Sex customs    10. Social Science    11. Sociology    12. World - Colonial Studies    13. Anthropology    14. Colonization & independence    15. Gender studies    16. History / General    17. Racism & racial discrimination    18. Social history   

Reviews (1)

GIS for the Urban Environment
This is truly a wonderful book. Although I plan on using it as a text book for some of the courses which I teach, it is also a fantastic reference and refresher for even experienced geographers. To my knowledge, it is the most complete and well written book dealing with GIS in an urban setting. The text is clear and simple without being simplistic, the labs are well designed and do a good job putting theory into practice, and the case studies are varied and interesting. Kudos to Maantay and Zeigler for writing what is sure to become the indispensable Urban GIS text. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cities and towns    2. Computer Graphics - General    3. Earth Sciences - Geography    4. Geographic information systems    5. Human Geography    6. Information Systems (Geography)    7. Public Policy - City Planning & Urban Dev.    8. Science    9. Science/Mathematics    10. Social Science    11. Sociology    12. Sociology - Urban    13. Urban Geography    14. Geographical information systems (GIS)    15. Science / Geography   

Reviews (1)

An interesting perspective on being American
The content of this book is derived primarily from first-person narratives and other primary source historical documents.These writings offer the reader a great deal to consider when thinking about the role of Americans in history.The narratives are moving and thought provoking, and really force the reader to reconsider what it really means to be an American. Questions abound about why we aren't told these stories in school, particularly regarding the role this country has played in the lives of other nations.A real "based on a true story" book! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Discrimination & Racism    2. Emigration & Immigration    3. Social Science    4. Sociology    5. United States - General    6. American history    7. Civil rights & citizenship    8. Ethnic studies    9. History of specific racial & ethnic groups    10. Immigration & emigration    11. USA   

Reviews (5)

Marred by inaccuracies
The prose in this book is well-written and easy to read, a blessing given how indigestibly ponderous most textbooks are, even when they're expressing otherwise simple ideas. It's what the text says and doesn't say that's at issue.
Not at all like new !
Avertised "like new" ;however, extensive highlighting and even notes crossed out. Corners bent. Condition not at all as advertised!

Expensive
I guess this is a good textbook, but i really dislike this course and my teacher and how shes making us BUY the textbooks for 100 dollars! jeez cheap school ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Earth Sciences - Geography    2. Human Geography    3. Politics/International Relations    4. Social Science    5. Sociology    6. Social Science / Human Geography   

Reviews (4)

Wrong Edition
The book was advertised under third edition but was received as second edition.

I suggest that you buy something else instead
First of all, I must give that the presentation quality of this book is very good; it is easy to follow too; so when you take this book in hand the first impression is that it's a great book; but unfortunately it is not.. Here's why:
Wonderful book
This textbook is very easy to follow. I am glad that I purchased this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Human Geography    2. Social Science    3. Sociology    4. Science / Geography