A fascinating read covering not only the myths of geography, but politics, history, society and more.
I would put this book down to look up ideas mentioned and then go off on a tangent of learning every time.
The author is highly knowledgeable on many subjects and I learnt a great deal from this book.
Highly recommend as my top non fiction read of 2024!

I decided to request this book after challenging myself to read more nonfiction work.
There were a few times within the book where I felt my interested waning and kept checking how long of the book I had left. Whilst it was a short book; I felt that because I wasn't enjoying it, it was dragging on. This is definitely a book to be read slowly and in chunks rather than all in one go.
That being said, I'm happy I tried this book and can positively say that this book taught me something new.

My initial thoughts on this book felt decidedly negative as the text seemed an attack on Britain from a hater of the UK, which got my hackles up. It felt like a far left, liberal university lecture against Brexit, the Tories (especially Boris Johnson), self-governance and any desire to curb migration. Fully in support of any country wanting to be out from under the yoke of British, Russian or Chinese control but failing to see that logic also applies to the UK regarding the EU? No longer wanting to be a fully paid up member of the EU club does not mean turning our back on Europe or not cooperating. It seemed short sighted and, well, rude.

I was able to relax into the book when I saw the author seemed to attack everyone from American Trumpism, Russia and China. If I were of these places I would feel equally aggrieved, though the bashing of the UK felt especially personal. Slavery, is a good example. From this text you might believe the UK was the only country in human history to garner wealth trafficking slaves. The Arabs and Vikings, to name a few, got off scot-free.

Needless to say, Myths of Geography got off to a bumpy start for me but I did grow to appreciate it more as the focus shifted to Russia, China and Africa. It's easy to paint Russia and China as enemies, and they may well be, but it is far more difficult to understand them. I found the insight here thought provoking and fascinating. I love Africa and have seen first hand China's meddling in her countries from the building of roads, airports and infrastructure so China can extract minerals, etc, to the great debt it burdens African countries with. It is worrying but not unlike what all colonisers did hundreds of years ago. But now it feels worse because we are so aware of these activities and can see the damage it does to indigenous peoples, their lands and seas, and the wider world.

This is an interesting book with a different slant. Its premise is that all we have learned from geography, especially from maps, is wrong. The author makes some very cogent points that cause the reader to question all we know about things like continents. How many are there and where does one end and another begin. I think by now we are well versed in plate tectonics but this turns even that on its ear.

And if the reader is to accept some of the points that are made, how does that impact so many other ways we see ourselves and our world. If we stop looking at things in the “old ways’ will that help to bring the world together and put paid to some of the attitudes and beliefs that colour our thinking. It is thought provoking and certainly had me looking at some of my perceptions differently.

Four purrs and two paws up.

Rating: 3.75/5 ⭐

Review:
✨It is really hard to write this review because it is non-fiction and about topics that I’m not really familiar with, making it a heavy read.
✨I’m reading this as a total beginner, a reader that is interested to learn more about what is discussed in this book.
✨The author presented several topics/questions as myths, but for me, I rather see them as another point of view of how we see the world today.
✨I learn a lot of new events and information related to geography, history and politics from various parts of the globe.
✨Because I am unfamiliar with topics discussed in this book, I try my very best to understand them. Plus, I personally agree with some opinions presented in the writing.
✨In my opinion, this book is written to challenge our current way of thinking on how we perceive the world. Personally from my reading, this book is a type of book that you read a bit then you stop to think before continuing. The process is repeated until the end of the book.
✨In conclusion, I do recommend this book for any readers that are interested in topics of geography, history and politics. However, it is totally an academic book, I would say.
✨Lastly, *side-eye* to the British Museum.
✨Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for this ARC!

Myths of Geography is an interesting and thought provoking book of eight essays - Continents, Borders, Nation states, Sovereignty, Measuring growth (GDP), Russian Expansionism, China's New Silk Road (BRI), and 'Africa beyond colonial cliches'.

I read it like a coffee table book, in small chunks, so that I could fully understand the myths and would recommend it anyone interested in geography or who just wants to expand their knowledge.

Thanks to the publishers and Net Galley for my advanced ecopy in exchange for a review. This was an interesting non fiction book and I did learn a lot of new and interesting facts about the geography of the world. The book covered topics such as continents, borders and sovereignty. It dispelled some myths and also deep delved into subjects I had never considered or even heard about before. It was an interesting book and I haven't read anything like this before. It explored Russia and the New Silk Road from China. It had information about the history of the UK too. I enjoyed this book and will be recommending to others.

This was a deep dive for me, reminding me of many 'facts' I'd learned years ago, which have either shifted or been shown again in new light. It's a book to make you think, certainly, in these strangely shifting modern times, it resonates. I enjoyed it - it is well explained and clearly written.

There's a great saying. It takes one desperate generation to change history.

That's what this book feels like it unravels. All the geography we are taught is challenged and it really opens your eyes to other possibilities and intent.

It's clear alot of care and research went into this book and it's a great read for anyone in search of truths.

A well-researched and well-written account of some complex topics. It's fascinating how the dominant narrative gets so many things wrong - 8 of them are explained well here. - through provoking read and highly recommended for anyone interested in looking at the world from an alternative viewpoint

This is an informative and, in places, fascinating book. I suppose I came at it from a scholarly point of view, with a fairly developed interest in the idea of 'geography' and 'borders', and there is no doubt that the ideas are well-researched. Some of the ideas are complex but are conveyed clearly, so if the aim of the book is to introduce readers to current thinking, it does a good job. It's a very good starting point for anyone interested in geopolitics or human geography. I found it an enjoyable read and am grateful to NetGalley and to the publisher for the ARC.

An interesting read which pokes holes at conventional geography wisdom. It looks at the reasons behind Belt & Road, whether Russia truly wants a warm water port and where Europe ends and Asia begins. Food for thought…

This is a collection of interesting essays each of which briefly considers a theme that has occupied geographers (and others) for decades, if not centuries, and many an undergraduate essay has considered these concepts.

There are at least two sides to any debate, and the author argues his opinions well. In the end, much comes down to perception and prejudice: one person’s boundary, a river for example, could well be the magnet which draws people to it as a means of transport and facilitator of trade, rather than dividing them.

The book will appeal to anyone with an enquiring, curious mind, open to new ideas. It should be - but unfortunately won’t be - essential reading for narrow-minded, partisan individuals such as some politicians and other extremists. It will be invaluable to students of many subjects, including geography, economics, and politics.

This is a very interesting book and I've thoroughly enjoyed reading it and using the information to put other information into context. The first chapter deals with continents and opened my eyes to something which hadn't occurred to me before - how much my understanding of borders is influenced more by the information presented on maps than reality! I will definitely buy it as it is so interesting and will be a book I return to again and again.

The Myths of Geography takes eight concepts of the world as we know it and challenges them geographically, historically, culturally and politically. A very well researched and thought provoking book in an uncertain and shifting geopolitical climate. Recommended.

A fascinating read, making you think about both the political and economical points of view. The book provided me with useful information, facts, figures etc and it was written in an engaging way regardless of whether this is an area that you are familiar with or not.

3.5/5 ⭐

Myths of Geography is exactly what it states on the cover: 8 ways in which we get the world wrong. Paul Richardson describes 8 very common ways of thinking about the world and explains convincingly how they describe an imagined reality mores than a physical one. Each chapter is a fascinating introduction to and reflection on its 'myth', filled with facts and examples. I get the sense that the author could've easily written a full book per myth (and I would have happily read them all).

Where this book fell short for me, is that it never really seems to come together as a coherent whole. The individual chapters are interesting, but don't all seem aimed at the same reader, and their connection to each other seems tenuous at best. The conclusion did offer a larger perspective on the 'myths of geography', but fell a bit flat for me. For me, it felt as if the author had a lot to say, but didn't take enough time and space to properly say it.

If you are interested in (and relatively new to) examining the ways in which we think about the geographical realities we live in, or if you are interested in learning more about any of the specific myths Richardson addresses, I can wholeheartedly recommend Myths of Geography as an excellent starting point.

I learnt a lot from this book, and it is rich with quotable facts and figures. It certainly made me rethink the way I view the geography and borders of the world, which is the whole idea of the book. It's been thoroughly researched, and the majority of the book is written very accessibly whilst the 'myths of geography' were clear and well explored.
I had hoped for something as close to 'politically neutral' as possible, but it unfortunately wasn't really.
I'd definitely recommend this to people with a foundational interest in geopolitics (I would imagine that those interested in this topic at a more advanced level are likely to find this a repeat of things they already know, but they might have an interest in the central argument).

Given the complexity of many of the themes within the book I was never bored as it moved along quickly, however, I felt that some of the topics, or myths as they are described in a series of chapters, can be difficult to access unless, you have some prior knowledge. The Myth of Russian Expansionism had me going back and forward as I tried to understand the historical context and the impact on today. So, overall a very impressive piece of work, but maybe one best read in chunks/myths rather than in one read.
Thank you to netgalley and Little Brown Book group
3.5 stars rounded up to 4

*Myths of Geography* by Paul Richardson is an insightful exploration of how geographical narratives shape our understanding of the world. Richardson dismantles common misconceptions, challenging readers to rethink borders, cultures, and historical influences. His writing is engaging and accessible, making complex topics digestible for a wide audience. A compelling read for those interested in geopolitics and cultural studies, I thoroughly enjoyed it.