School Library Journal Review
Gr 7 Up-Kenneth C. Davis proves there is a lot more to geography then labeling countries on a map. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
The author of the successful Don't Know Much About History returns to correct his countrymen's lack of knowledge about geography, a lack established when Americans aged 18 to 24 scored lowest on a 1988 test of geographic literacy given to young people of all industrialized nations. Davis writes with an entertaining, breezy touch and encompasses such interesting considerations as the origin of the belief in a race of Amazons. Besides essential geographic information, chapters cover the history of geographical studies, an overview of large cities of the past and present, the effect of climate on developing civilizations and astronomy. Helpful lists, ranging from glossaries to current and former names of countries and U.N. membership are included. Davis's eminently readable treatise should help remedy an ignorance that has even been discussed in the U.S. Senate. Author tour. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Booklist Review
The author of Don't Know Much about History [BKL Je 15 90] continues his campaign of enlightenment. His survey of geography is intricately tied to world history and interspersed with passages from great historians, explorers, and travel writers. Questions open each chapter and are answered at the end following a neat chronology of the information covered. Davis succeeds admirably in his goal of showing that geography is not a "dusty mystery, but an exciting art as well as a useful science." Just as informative, with more emphasis on the present, is Why in the World: Geography for Everyone [BKL Ap 15 92]. ~--Denise Perry Donavin
Library Journal Review
Any efforts to save the U.S. public from geographic illiteracy should certainly be encouraged. Davis attempts to achieve this goal with a cheerful writing style, a varied format--e.g., cartoons, text, milestones in geography, and quotations from fascinating travel writings of previous centuries--and an environmentalist bent. The text, which could have been better organized, begins with a historical overview of geography, then moves to mountains, oceans, early human history, climate, and space, and closes with a bibliography (including a list of books for children) and an index (not seen). For general collections. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 6/1/92.-- Mary L. Larsgaard, Univ. of California-Santa Barbara Map & Imagery Lab Lib. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
