Geography Books

I read this book this semester in Professor Ohnuki-Tierney's class on Political and Cultural Symbolism. A must for any undergraduate student of symbolic or political anthropology. The book traces the use of the cherry blossom as a symbol throughout history, eventually arriving at the tokkotai (kamikaze) pilots of WWII.

EOT does a great job dispelling the myth that tokkotai pilots died for the emperor and committed suicide. Instead, she shows the lives of five young men, all highly intelligent university students fluent in Marxism and Western philosophy. These young men joined the Navy to herald a new age for Japan, they did not believe in the pro rege et patria mori ideology American media has assumed.

Don't watch the History Channel specials on tokkotai pilots. Read this book and learn about the harsh reality of war, the cruelty of government manipulation of symbol, and the brilliance of the Japanese men who lost their lives in WWII.

Exceptional book, I took a class with this professor. The western conception of "suicide pilots" is completly wrong.

From my experiences in reading historical non-fiction, there are generally two types of books. One of these simply tells you what happend, while the others, while also accomplishing the recount, also provide an analysis of perhaps why soemthing happend.

This is a must-read and an incredible in depth look at the japanese culture and the pride they have for their country and history.

The is a most impressive analysis of economic, political, social and cultural life in Latin America. This excellent book offers an holistic approach to understanding these changes, relating them to the wider processes of modernization and globalization. An international group of scholars with impressive credentials and from a wide range of disciplines attempt to contextualize their different disciplinary foci within a broad political economic approach that provides a critical yet balanced view and detailed analysis of the neoliberal policies pursued by almost all countries in the region. They contend that a new political economy is being contructed in Latin America, as national economies become radically reconstructed and transformed, democracy becomes the instituional norm, and new social arrangements are being created. The constestation and alternatives to this new global modernity are also explored. In sum, this excellent book fulfills a much needed market niche for students, scholars, and the educated avid reader, who require an interdisciplinary and contemporary approach to Latin American development.

Roberto Cabello-Argandona

This book is really an anthology or a collection of publications on the matter of social modernization of Latin America. I like the fact that there are many charts/stats of real data to back up these writers' observations and statements.

Somewhat academic, but not erudite - so useful for anyone in int'l business with L.A.

Robert Gwynne and Cristobal Kay have put together an impressive and timely analysis of current trends in Latin American Development. The coverage of the countries of the region is excellent, as is that of their economic, political, and social trends...The range of issues raised and the quality of their documentation make this an excellent text for teaching and for research. Prof. Bryan Roberts, University of Texas at Austin

This is a wonderful book. I have been trying to buy it; however, I did not know that it was out of print! I am in college to become a teacher and I wanted this book for my classroom. I have read it to other classes and the children absolutely love it. I agree with Nila ~~~ We need to get this book back in print! This book is interesting and it is great for teaching a geography lesson as well. After I taught a lesson using this book, the students were still talking about it two weeks later. One day it was raining outside, and one little girl mentioned that she was glad that she didn't have to walk to school like the kids in Swaziland have to do. This is a book that the students can relate to in many ways. I hope to see this book back in print in the NEAR future. It seems to be such a waste for a wonderful book such as this to not be in the classrooms for the students to enjoy!! It is Fabulous and people of all ages Love it!!

A captivating glance of life in Swaziland from the eyes of an American child! Many interesting facts, along with crayon drawings and photographs, about an African country will surprise, shock, and spark curiosity in children. I read this book to a class of 3rd graders; they were so excited and got so caught up in asking questions and making comments that it was hard to contain them. A definite must read!

This book lets one easily imagine what living in Swaziland must be like. Nila addresses questions that kids (and adults, too) would have about a far-away land: what kinds of toys, clothes, and schools the children have, what kinds of food the people eat, and which way the water swirls down the drain! Through pictures and text, the reader discovers a bit of Swaziland's history, terrain, and people. I first discovered this book in a quest for multicultural books for my elementary classroom. I was so impressed with Learning to Swim in Swaziland that I bought it for myself, and both my thirteen-year-old and my eight-year-old liked it as much as I did!

When Emma's life was perfect, everything turn's upside down! Then things started falling apart. When you read this book, you follow Emma's struggles, and see her solutions. Nancy Brokaw turned the list of events into a exciting, moving, and great story! I suggest this to anyone through the ages or 9+!

When Emma's life was perfect, everything turn's upside down! Then things started falling apart. When you read this book, you follow Emma's struggles, and see her solutions. Nancy Brokaw turned the list of events into a exciting, moving, and great story! I suggest this to anyone through the ages or 9+!

I read this book initially to review it for a librarian journal and fell in love with it. Emma's struggles and strength will inspire children and adults to find the courage to try new things and experience what life offers them. This book would especially be helpful for girls from 8-11 who are trying to find out who they are in their families, at school and out in the world. I highly recommend this book.

As Siskel and Ebert would have said, 2 thumbs up. It's a great book to learn about the "shores" of Alaska. WTG Dr.Mason

2 thumbs up....... A book worth it's wait in gold, its a must for readers who want to learn the truth about the "shores" of Alaska.........WTG Dr. Mason

2 thumbs up....... A book worth its wait in gold, its a must for readers who want to learn the truth about the "shores" of Alaska.........

My first exposure to Wyatt Blassingame's The Look-It-Up Book of Presidents was the early 90's when my Aunt and Uncle gave the tome to me as a gift. Back then the book ended with President Reagan. In the years since I updated my copy as Presidents Bush Sr. and Clinton took and left office. What kept me coming back to the Look-It-Up Book of Presidents is how clearly the biographies of each President are written without any confusing jargon. I also was impressed with how neutral he is toward each President. For example Blassingame's narratives about the Monica Lewinsky scandal and the 1999 NATO air strikes in Kosovo are written better than most news stories were in 1998-99. There is one weakness however. Since this edition ends with the 2000 election it misses the major events of President Bush's term such as 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, the Iraq war, and the Democratic takeover of Congress in 2006. The 2004 and 2006 deaths of Presidents Reagan and Ford are missing as well. Even though I no longer own the Look-It-Up Book of Presidents, it got me interested in history. I fully recommend it to children who need a basic reference and to adults who need a refresher on our Presidents.

I have included the updated edition of this book in several of my bibliographies for the children's books I'm currently writing because the presidential profiles are, for the most part, very readable, informative, and enlightening.

This book was recently updated as it seeks to include all of the presidents. The fact that earlier editions of this book have been in print for several decades is a testiment to its fine quality. It is written for the late elemntary to middle school grade level but is a nice quick reference even for adults. The book tends to whitewash certain controversies and treat presidents in a more favorable light than might a longer, adult oriented book. Still, the book gives the basics of major scandals in the presiencies of Grant, Harding, Nixon, etc. Furthermore, the book gives the reader a basic understanding of who each of our presidents was and what the basic issues were during the presidency of each. Knowing the basics of each of our presidents is important for good citizenship and this book fills the bill nicely. I hope that this book will encourage readers to want to read full legnth biographies of some of the presidents profiled or, at least to delve deeper into their presidencies by reading a more complex, adult level book of this type. I highly recommend this great introduction to our presidents.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher when I was teaching a university course on cartography. The textbook for the semester had already been selected, so I used this book originally as a second resource while preparing lectures. By the end of the semester, I found myself using this book as the primary source for topics and explanations and suggested it be used in future semesters.

This book explains concepts such as projections and coordinate systems in ways that are easy to understand, particularly for new students. The explanations are thorough without bogging down in details. The figures are large, many take up a full page. They are helpful, relevant, and excellently reproduced. The chapters on terrain representation, contours, and topographic features are exceptionally good (there are almost 40 examples of terrain representation) The remote sensing and GIS chapters are brief and introductory, but those are topics best left for other books.

I was a little skeptical when I first saw this book, since it appeared to be a somewhat thin, and we were using Robinson's book, which is basically a standard. But, I would recommend this to any map student, teacher, or user. It packs a lot of information in its pages. I still use it as a reference (...).

When you've been working in a field for 30 years it's really difficult to drag yourself backwards and review data you already know, so when I signed up for a GPS (Global Positioning Sattelite) software course I looked at "Map Use & Analysis" by John Campbell as something I could just skip over, but since it was required reading I finally got it out. I was really pleased with the depth of material and the extremely clear explanations of all those mystifying cartography words. Anyone who has no idea about mapping or is a begining student will be able to use this book. The format is excellent with terms higligted and the index and dictionary are well coordinated. I feel that this book is such an excellent reference that I am buying a copy for myself. The only negative thing I have to say is that the illustrations, which are plentiful seem to wander several pages ahead of text, but they are carefully numbered and correspond exactly to the descriptions. Well done! Les L. Johnson

If I were stuck on a deserted Island like Tom Hanks in Cast Away, and I could only have one book, it would be this one. It would help me to get off the island and determine my global positioning! Lots of help.

This book is a catalog for an extraordinary exhibition of over 130 maps at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago and at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore (in collaboration with The Newberry Library).

Some of my favorites include:

Photographic road maps produced for the first automobilists. Page by page the photographs show country lanes, farmhouses and churches with arrows indicating the correct route.

The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad of 1906, which shows routes of competing railroads in thin, spindly lines or not at all.

Harry Beck's great 1933 map of the London Underground, which shows none of London's geography except for the Thames.

The 1566 map by Giovanni Paolo Cimerlini showing religious divisions in the shape of a heart joined at the North Pole in the center of the map. ("The heart is such a common icon of love. It is a hopeful sign that there is possibility of universal harmony. The map came at a time when reformation is tearing apart the Christian world and there's conflict with Islam. There were advanced thinkers who were thinking we can all get along. This map is saying, 'Hey, we're all in this together.' It's an expression of hope.")

Others include a 3,500-year-old clay tablet detailing walls, gates and palaces in the town of Nippur in what is now Iraq; three colored drawings by Leonardo da Vinci showing the typography of Europe; the map Charles Lindbergh carried with him on his history-making flight from New York to Paris annotated in his own handwriting; drawings by J.R.R. Tolkien of his fictional Middle-earth; and a deerskin map drawn by members of an American Indian tribe, where circles connected by lines indicate political ties among communities.

Each of the maps is well described, and the individual map descriptions are enhanced by the introductions to each of the seven chapters. They include: "Finding Our Way", James R. Akerman, "Mapping the World", Denis Cosgrove; "Mapping Parts of the World", Matthew H. Edney; "Mapping American History", Susan Schulten; "Visualizing Nature and Society", Michael Friendly and Gilles Palsky; "Mapping Imaginary Worlds", Ricardo Padrón; and "Consuming Maps", Diane Dillon. There is also a list of references, a comprehensive bibliography and an excellent index.

The exhibit at the Walters Art Museum runs from March 16 to June 8, 2008. Both the Field and the Walters have very informative websites devoted to the exhibition, with many of the maps illustrated online. (Both institutes usually keep their exhibits online for several years after the exhibit closes.)

Excellent as the online exhibits are, however, holding the book and studying the maps is much more rewarding.

Great product. arrived as advertised. What an amazing way to enrich one's mind with this book!

This publication is a companion book to the exhibit which recently closed at the Chicago Field Museum. It stands on its own as a thought provoking look at many different types of maps and the history of maps. I enjoyed the way the information was presented in this book and found a whole new appreciation for maps and the people who have created them. Many of the maps are works of art.

GIS, intelligent digital geographic information systems - are turning geography into a business science, and Measuring Up: The Business Case for GISprovides case studies about companies and government agencies which have implemented GIS solutions in their business goals and plans. Chapters show how to save money and time using GIS-based systems, how to use GIS to generate revenue and help budgets, and how to manage the resources and information bases resulting from GIS systems. The inclusion of over seventy articles from over twenty business sectors span the globe in experience and setting, creating a very specific, detailed set of insights on new GIS-driven business processes. Highly recommended.

I picked up this book at an ESRI User Group meeting. I had seen it advertised and asked the local ESRI rep about it. He gave me the book!

It is an excellent resource. It cites specific studies of GIS use to illustrate how GIS can pay for itself several times over. There are plenty of examples to cover a broad spectrum of GIS uses. There are several government examples, as well as some less known uses.

There is also a slide show / outline based on the book that can be downloaded from the ESRI website.

This is an outstanding resource for increasing the return on your GIS investment as well as to get new comers up to speed in understanding the benefits to GIS. As a GIS veteran who has trained new users as well as managers new to GIS in the public, private and non-profit sectors, this is the best book that I have come across to expose them to the importance of GIS and how it has specifically reduced costs, streamlined and improved service as well as perform analysis not feasible in the past. I gave five books to a world class City Planning, Info Tech, Neighborhood Services & Law Enforcement department managers (and kept one for me).

What I specifically enjoyed is that this is a "non-technical" book that focuses on several real world examples of how GIS technology has been used by real people, in the real world, in modern times and budgets and how they benefited as well as how much "$" it saved them. Full of color images and very easy to read. By seeing case studies of what others have done, I am now implementing some of the same uses. So even a GIS dinosaur like myself has been able to steal some wonderful ideas that make my bosses look great. Making them happy keeps me happy. A lifesaver for the new GIS person (especially management) and a resource for the GIS Veteran. Well done & highly recommended.

This is my favorite gift to bring to baby showers -- it's a huge hit with both proud Texan parents and babies! The textures (the denim of the cowboy's jeans, the sandpaper cow's tounge) and vibrant colors really captivate the little ones. My best friend's daughter loved it so much that they're already on their second copy. I highly recommend the Little Tex's ABC book to accompany this one -- you won't be disappointed.

I bought this book before my child was born. It's one of my favorites and one of his. We also have "Little Tex's ABCs." Both are great books. He is a sixth generation native Texan, so we want to make him proud of his heritage. What better way to get started? I am hoping that this is only the beginning of the "Little Tex" series. How about a "Little Tex" counting book next?

My 4 year old and 1 year old sons love this book. The thick interactive pages are informative, safe, keeps their attention, and they leave talking about it. My 4 year old sometimes acts like Little Tex! Much better than acting out a Power Ranger! Buy it, your kids will love it!