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Don't Know Much About Geography: Everything You Need to Know About the World but Never Learned (Don't Know Much About...(Paperback))
Books: Text Books: Geography: Item 5
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Don't Know Much About Geography: Everything You Need to Know About the World but Never Learned (Don't Know Much About...(Paperback))by Kenneth C. Davis
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55 of 57 people found the following review helpful: A great idea, but with too many mistakes, July 26, 2004 Reviewer:Robert Adler "science writer & author" (Santa Rosa, CA USA) - I love the title and the idea of the book--a fun, accessible introduction to geography. And, the book accomplishes what it sets out to do, to a large extent. However, as I read it I kept being jarred by errors; not just typos or minor errors, but really big, sloppy mistakes. Here are a few of them (from the 1992 paperback): Page 175: Since it takes the moon a little more than a day to orbit the Earth . . . Wrong, and in a way that suggests the author really doesn't understand the Earth-Moon system. Page 212: . . . the white marble lighthouse stood 440 feet (1234 meters) high . . . Let's see, are meters longer than feet, or shorter than feet? Do we multiply or divide? Page 275: . . . meteorites strike at tremendous speeds--as much as 90,000 miles per second. Hmmm. That's about half the speed of light. I don't think so. Page 289: The spiraling winds may reach from 9 to 24 miles (15 to 20 km) up into the atmosphere. At least try to keep the numbers consistent. Page 312: Pluto may actually belong to another solar system . . . Then what is it doing orbiting the sun? Etc., Etc., Etc. It's a very good idea, but one that deserved a lot more care. Robert Adler, author of Science Firsts: From the Creation of Science to the Science of Creation; and Medical Firsts: From Hippocrates to the Human Genome.
Product Review
Davis consistently does what your junior high teacher probably didn't; he makes geography amusing and riveting. From early concepts of whether the world was a disk floating in water (Thales) or pear-shaped (Columbus), Davis explains earthquakes, rain forests, Atlantis and whether there are canaries on the Canary Islands. In short, he covers the scientific, physical, and political history of the Earth and does his level best to raise our collective geographic IQ while entertaining us. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Amazon.com Audiobook Review
You might think you need to look at a map to learn "everything you need to know" about geography, but Kenneth C. Davis proves otherwise. In this hugely entertaining and informative program, Davis takes a different approach to learning about the world by pointing out its relevance--and importance--in every sphere of human life. Geography, Davis explains, has been sadly misunderstood, which accounts for the fact that Americans consistently score lowest among peoples of industrialized nations when it comes to "knowing where we are." He sets out to show listeners how this "mother lode of sciences, the hub of a circle from which all the other studies radiate" informs disciplines ranging from meteorology, climatology, and oceanography to economics, ecology, and political science. Rather than looking at geography as a parade of facts about where things are located, he encourages an approach that considers human and natural history in its larger context--and the universe as a large canvas upon which the fascinating story of life is drawn. Using his familiar question-and- answer method, Davis offers interesting anecdotes to explain, for example, who invented the compass; why wars are always fought over geography; the differences between country, republic, nation, and state; why the tallest mountain in the world is getting even taller; and much more. Succinct discussions coupled with Davis's lively writing style makes this a perfect candidate for audio presentation. Indeed, listening to this program without the aid of visuals underscores the sense conveyed that geography is as much about how we think about the world as where things are in physical space--that it is about the "tender connections that keep the earth alive." (Running time: three hours, two cassettes) --Uma Kukathas --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.
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