Prisoners of Geography

Ten Maps That Explain Everything About the World

By: Tim Marshall

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

Maps have a mysterious hold over us. Whether ancient, crumbling parchments or generated by Google, maps tell us things we want to know, not only about our current location or where we are going but about the world in general. And yet, when it comes to geo-politics, much of what we are told is generated by analysts and other experts who have neglected to refer to a map of the place in question.

All leaders of nations are constrained by geography. In this audiobook, now updated to include 2016 geopolitical developments, journalist Tim Marshall examines Russia, China, the US, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Japan, Korea, and Greenland and the Arctic - their weather, seas, mountains, rivers, deserts, and borders - to provide a context often missing from our political reportage: how the physical characteristics of these countries affect their strengths and vulnerabilities and the decisions made by their leaders.

Marshall explains the complex geo-political strategies that shape the globe. Why is Putin so obsessed with Crimea? Why was the US destined to become a global superpower? Why does China's power base continue to expand? Why is Tibet destined to lose its autonomy? Why will Europe never be united? The answers are geographical.

©2015 Tim Marshall (P)2016 Audiobooks.com Publishing

Critic reviews

"In an ever more complex, chaotic, and interlinked world, Prisoners of Geography is a concise and useful primer on geopolitics." ( Newsweek)

Extraordinary

If ever you wondered what difference a mountain range, a tropical rainforest, a wide expanse of desert, or a river wide and deep enough for transport could make on a Nation and its "life, this is your book. Wonderfully narrated, with some level of forecasting that, given today's current state of political nationalism, and/or isolationism, causes one to pause, and think about the world's future, and one's place in it.

Geography 👍🏽 History 👍🏽 Human industry 👎🏽

* Great geographical descriptions, altho it makes you wanna be looking at a map constantly.

* Great historical connections. Helps you understand the geographical causes of historical actions. The book agues exactly what the title says: That nations are prisoners of geography. That they can't act beyond the limits of what "nature or God" has dealt them.

It feels like the author aims to reinforce the status quo. According to Geography, "nature or God" has given America the greatest deal any Nation can have. Western Europe with it's fertile lands and navigable rivers has a pretty good deal, but will not be able to truly unify in the E.U due to strong nationalist sentiments. Russia must defend its vast western plains and occupy Crimea in order to keep NATO away. India and China are not likely to ever go to war because of the Himalaya mountains. China will never leave Tibet because there lies all of its water source. Africa is doomed because of its poor soil and its unnavigable rivers.

* But wait a minute.
Isn't this a very fatalistic way of looking at humanity. Is this the mentality that led Ferdinand de Leceps to dig the Suez Canal? Or Roosevelt to push for the Panama canal? Did the Appalachians stop the settlers to push westward? Why did Europeans invade and plunder Africa if they had it so good.
Did an infertile/desertic land stop Israel from creating green pastures.
I am from Africa, born and raised. And yet I have a theory. And it is not very flattering to my people: If you move all Americans to Africa, and all Africans to America. Just the people, leave everything else behind. It will be just a matter of time ( very little time) until Africa becomes the new superpower.
I believe the power of a land is in the mind ( not even the arms) but in the mind of its people.
The good news is, unlike the geography which almost never changes, the mind can learn and change.

Malick Tchakpedeou.

Thoughtful content, excellent narrator

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

An eye opening account of geography, society, history, humanity and geopolitics. I especially liked how the author illustrated key themes through a global lens. It's so rare to get so much out of one book!

Have you listened to any of Scott Brick’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No this was the first Scott Brick performance I have experienced. He is a fabulous narrator with the perfect tone and pitch for non fiction.

The Book to Better Understand Geography

Broadens understanding of the role that geography plays in shaping countries and world-events of the past, present and future.

Loved this Book and the Narration!

The book was so good. A must read for anybody interested in geographical content. I learned a lot. I do wish the author would've talked more about Japan and not have focused on North Korea so much during that part of the book. All around good book, and the narrator was amazing.

Excellent!!

An excellent book, very informative and gives us a hint as to why things are the way they are around the world.

Review

Awesome book. I love every bit of it. Very detailed and interestingly narrated. I love it

Excellent Book

An excellent book. One of the best audiobooks I have ever listened to. I highly recommend it.

So informative on the why's of different cultures

Geography plays such a developmental role in culture, conflict, resources. Middle east chapter was eye-opening.

Extremely informative.

Superbly researched and well written, this book is very informative in an entertaining way. A rare combination indeed. I highly recommend it to anyone truly interested in our existence and progress as humans within the confines of our geography.