Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need to Know About Global Politics
One of my son Matt's old school mates was staying with us a few weeks ago and said thank you with a couple of books (what better Thank You present can you get). One was Prisoners of Geography. Originally published in 2015, I was lucky enough to receive the 2019 edition. As the world political scene changes so quickly, this later edition reflected the many changes that had occurred in those 4 years.
The synopsis explains the premise pretty clearly:
All leaders of nations are constrained by geography. Their choices are limited by mountains, rivers, seas, and concrete. To understand world events, news organizations and other authorities often focus on people, ideas, and political movements, but without geography, we never have the full picture. Now, in the relevant and timely Prisoners of Geography, seasoned journalist Tim Marshall examines Russia, China, the USA, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Japan and 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.
In ten, up-to-date maps of each region, Marshall explains in clear and engaging prose the complex geo-political strategies of these key parts of the globe. What does it mean that Russia must have a navy, but also has frozen ports six months a year? How does this affect Putin’s treatment of Ukraine? How is China’s future constrained by its geography? Why will Europe never be united? Why will America never be invaded? Shining a light on the unavoidable physical realities that shape all of our aspirations and endeavors, Prisoners of Geography is the critical guide to one of the major (and most often overlooked) determining factors in world history.
The 10 maps are: Russia, China, U.S., W. Europe, Africa, Mideast, S. Asia, Korea/Japan, Latin America, Arctic.
Ok, it's a bit simplistic to think that natural corridors and natural barriers explain "everything" but they are factors that have historically constrained regions and they ARE significant in what we see now. I follow world affairs and have a pretty good historical perspective (well, at least I think I do) on things and much of what he proposes rings true to me.
The answers lie in history and geography: and history has been shaped by geography. For instance, the book offer an explanation for such geopolitical events as Russia's annexation of Crimea based on Russia's need to retain access to warm-water ports and China's actions in Tibet to enforce its border with India.
I would recommend the review https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/books/prisoners-of-geography-ten-maps-that-tell-you-everything-you-need-to-know-about-global-politics-by-tim-marshall-review-a2488801.html.
I read this in less than a week, always a sign of an interesting book.
Definitely on my list of best non-fiction for 2023.
