The Power of Place ─ Geography, Destiny, and Globalization's Rough Landscape

The world is not as mobile or as interconnected as we like to think. As Harm de Blij argues in The Power of Place, in crucial ways--from the uneven distribution of natural resources to the unequal availability of opportunity--geography continues to hold billions of people in its grip. We are all born into natural and cultural environments that shape what we become, individually and collectively. From our "mother tongue" to our father's faith, from medical risks to natural hazards, where we start our journey has much to do with our destiny. Hundreds of millions of farmers in the river basins of Asia and Africa, and tens of millions of shepherds in isolated mountain valleys from the Andes to Kashmir, all live their lives much as their distant ancestors did, remote from the forces of globalization. Incorporating a series of persuasive maps, De Blij describes the tremendously varied environments across the planet and shows how migrations between them are comparatively rare. De Blij also looks at the ways we are redefining place so as to make its power even more potent than it has been, with troubling implications.

"A tour-de-force, a fascinating and deeply knowledgeable account of the crucial ways in which 'place,' the Earth's physical geography, shapes global society.... The Power of Place is a treat for the specialist and a thrilling eye-opener for the general reader."
--Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University

"Should be set upon the desks of every legislator, policy wonk and concerned citizen."
--Chicago Sun-Times

"Mr. de Blij's vast reach and steady even-handedness make The Power of Place an enjoyable, intellectual stroll."
--The New York Sun

"Informative and provocative...made all the richer by his inspired use of maps. Substantive and smart."
--ShelfAwareness.com

Harm de Blij is the John A. Hannah Professor of Geography at Michigan State University. The author of 30 books, including Why Geography Matters, he is an honorary life member of the National Geographic Society and was previously the Geography Editor on ABC's "Good Morning America."