Myths of Geography

This is a new book. Condition: Brand New.

Is geography really destiny?

Our maps may no longer be stalked by dragons and monsters, but our perceptions of the world are still shaped by geographic myths. Myths like Europe being the centre of the world. Or that border walls are the solution to migration. Or that Russia is predestined to threaten its neighbours.

In his punchy and authoritative new book, Paul Richardson challenges recent popular accounts of geographical determinism and shows that how the world is represented often isn't how it really is - that the map is not the territory.

Along the way we visit some remarkable places: Iceland's Thingvellir National Park, where you can swim between two continents, and Bir Tawil in North Africa, one of the world's only territories not claimed by any country. We follow the first train that ran across Eurasia between Yiwu in east China and Barking in east London, and scale the US-Mexico border wall to find out why such fortifications don't work.

Written with verve and full of quotable facts, Myths of Geography is a book that will turn your world upside down.

Book details and technical specifications

Format: Paperback / softback
ISBN13: 9780349136332
Published: June 2025

Number of pages: 288
Width: 126 mm
Height: 196 mm
Depth: 24 mm

Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group