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.

This is a book that combines politics, history, culture and geography. The author identifies 'eight myths of geography': continents, borders, nation states, sovereignty, measuring growth (GDP), Russian Expansionism, China's New Silk Road (BRI), and 'Africa beyond colonial cliches'. The book is wide-ranging, well-researched and contains some interesting and thought-provoking arguments. The author states that these myths are our way of creating order in a chaotic world and that without them we would not be able to structure our world. He goes on to say that "there must be a better means of ordering the world....[than] according to these myths". But he does not offer any suggestions regarding such means. Essentially of course, mankind makes sense of the world entirely through story-telling. Religion, money, politics, ideology, history, art, social status, almost everything is a 'construct', narratives that we choose to believe in and fight over. I could not find enough coherence linking these specific eight myths to bring the book together, nor do I think these are the myths that cause the greatest problems for our planet, apart perhaps from the obsession with economic growth/GDP. Special thank you to The Bridge Street Press and NetGalley for a no obligation advance digital review copy.

The Myths of Geography is a fascinating read- it's a book that will certainly make you reconsider the so-called facts that are dealt to us in an all consuming world of economics, politics and greed.

This is in many senses 'a-call-to-arms' to take up the challenge to abandon the current geographical myths that we are supposed to live 'and die by' but which are very much not suited to the world we are and the changes ahead.

Exploring what we perceive as continents; the impact of supposed borders- politically and historically created; what do we actually mean by sovereignty; the negative influence of defining success by GDP; the belief of Russian expansion and the New Silk Road and the continual ' white centric' that Africa can never succeed- we are asked to confront stereotypes, the impact of empires and colonialism and history created from a European white male perspectives.

Paul Richardson provides necessary alternatives to stop us being led by preconceived myths about the world we live in. This is a book that will make you want to share what you read with others and will hopefully tilt your thinking in anew directions. Economists and many rightwing thinkers will not necessarily agree with the eight essays ( money and greed is always in denial) but this is a great read that combines geography, history and exploration of the state of the world we are in and provides other perspectives

This is a book worthy of attention - anything that makes us reflect /question can never be a bad thing- highly recommended