Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Explain Everything about the World: 1 (Politics of Place) Paperback – 11 Oct. 2016

Interesting History and well written

Brilliant essay by Tim Marshall. After reading this book, you'll be really convinced that we're "prisoners of geography". The illustration of the effect that geography has in determining geopolitics is striking and compelling. Understanding the geopolitics of Russia, China, Europe, North America, Middle East, India and East Asia becomes much easier if these regions are observed through the lenses of geographical constraints (or lack thereof) as well as history.The only defect of this book is that you just can't have enough. Huge regions like Africa or South America just get a single chapter each, and there's no Oceania/Australasia or South East Asia.

Billiantly informative and enlightening. However, the maps could have been more detailed and better quality.

Absolutely brilliant book I feel I learned quite a bit reading this and often re-read sections, so its useful as a reference. Its been recommended to friends and family and bought as gifts and has always gone down well. Very interesting subjet matter and helps make sense of what's going on around the world and how the lay of the land rules a lot of the decisions that are being made.

Must read. Explains why the world is like it is. Geography plays a major role in how countries are shaped.One of the best audio books I have come across.

Written in a way that is easily understood. Simple vocabulary.No side taken. Left me wondering why I had never thought of geography playing such a major role in a nations history and thinking.

RepublishReprintThe author sets out with a big challenge ahead of him, namely to explain the geo-political strategies of the world powers with ten maps.Geography cannot be changed. Political boundaries can be, usually with the aid of the army. Some political groupings may be formed by more peaceable means. Often peace is threatened by geography, however, a small strip of land or sea can be a tinderbox between nations.In this interesting book, the author looks at Russia, China, the USA, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Japan and Korea, and Greenland and the Arctic and considers how their physical geography can affect their strengths and vulnerabilities and the decisions made by their leaders. All of this is achieved in a fairly neutral tone that seeks to look at the facts, rather than pushing a particular line or agenda, delivering surprising analysis at times. Sometimes we do not know the world as well as we think we might.Many questions are asked. Some deep and meaningful, others more abstract yet interesting nonetheless. This is one of those books that you probably don’t go out looking for, but should you stumble across it or receive it as a gift you will be very happy with it. Geography, politics and elements of the news cycle can be brought to life with this book. You just need an open mind.Christmas is coming. This could be an ideal book for the curious reader. You might need two copies though, as if you start leafing through it there’s a big danger you will be hooked.

I bought this book expecting an interesting look at how geography has shaped the nation states of the world. As it was, I ended up reading a foreign policy primer with arguments so basic that only someone with the global awareness of Mr Trump would find it insightful. Those geographic insights that do exist are exceptionally basic (e.g. ''Russia is vast') and precede pointless page-filling unrelated to geographic insight, such as quoting the Declaration of Independence at length, or regaling us with a history of the Greek bailout crisis.Only if you have been living in some god-forsaken cave since he Cold War, with no real concept of where things are or how nation states want to defend their national interest, would this book be for you.