Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall: book review

Prisoners of Geography (2015) is an interesting account of geo-politics and the key issues behind the division of land and countries.

The book covers ’10 maps that explain everything about the world’ and is divided into the following regions: Russia, China, United States, Western Europe, Africa, Middle East, India and Pakistan, Korea and Japan, Latin America, and the Arctic.

Marshall explains, in clearly understandable English, the political decisions made about land limited by physical geography – mountains, rivers, seas, deserts, and natural boundaries. He explains each country’s vulnerabilities and strengths – and why some countries are seemingly eternally in conflict over land issues.

There are countries and regions overlooked in this book, because it can’t cover everything. However, some omissions are quite noticeable and some regions are not mentioned at all. For example, the Middle East, in my opinion, is not comprehensively covered – nor is Africa.

Sudan, Darfur, and South Sudan (South Kordofan, Blue Nile, Abyei, Jodha, and Kafia Kingi) are not mentioned; Somalia, Puntland and Somaliland are not mentioned; Iraq is inadequately covered (Iraq, Kurdistan, Kirkuk, Ninevah, Salahaddin, Dyala, and three areas of Dohuk); and southeast Asia is not mentioned. Australia too is inadequately covered.

India and Pakistan is covered reasonably well except for the issue of Kashmir, which is not fully discussed, and neither is Nawalparasi (India-Nepal). However, I was interested in the Arctic and the Russian sections, which are particularly pertinent, and will be more prominent in terms of regional issues in the future.

Don’t get me wrong; this is a very interesting read, offering much food for thought. I enjoyed it very much, and it serves as a reference book. But, once started, the issues don’t go far enough. I want more, much more.

MARTINA NICOLLSis an international aid and development consultant, and the authorof:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom(2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

Comments

Pir-E-Kamil - The Perfect Mentor by Umera Ahmed: book review

The Perfect Mentor pbuh (2011) is set in Lahore and Islamabad in Pakistan. The novel commences with Imama Mubeen in medical university. She wants to be an eye specialist. Her parents have arranged for her to marry her first cousin Asjad. Salar Sikander, her neighbour, is 18 years old with an IQ of 150+ and a photographic memory. He has long hair tied in a ponytail. He imbibes alcohol, treats women disrespectfully and is generally a “weird chap” and a rude, belligerent teenager. In the past three years he has tried to commit suicide three times. He tries again. Imama and her brother, Waseem, answer the servant’s call to help Salar. They stop the bleeding from his wrist and save his life. Imama and Asjad have been engaged for three years, because she wants to finish her studies first. Imama is really delaying her marriage to Asjad because she loves Jalal Ansar. She proposes to him and he says yes. But he knows his parents won’t agree, nor will Imama’s parents. ...

Apes go to the movies - and remember the scenes

Apes remember major events in movies, even after a single viewing. That’s the findings of primate research in Japan (New Scientist, September 17, 2015). Researchers at the Kyoto University in Japan conducted experiments with two species of apes – chimpanzees and bonobo primates – to test their memory and recall. Instead of using food to test memory, they used films. The researchers made two short movies to show to the apes. Fumihiro Kano and his colleague, Satoshi Hirata, starred in the films with another person dressed as an ape. They wanted to have strong dramatic scenes to see if the apes remembered them. In the first 30-second movie the character ape bursts through a door on the right hand side (there is also a door on the left hand side) and attacks the two researchers (characters) 18 seconds after the start. After 24 seconds a human character choses one of two weapons next to each other and launched a revenge attack on the ape. In the second 30-second movie t...

The acacia thorn trees of Kenya

There are nearly 800 species of acacia trees in the world, and most don’t have thorns. The famous "whistling thorn tree" and the Umbrella Thorn tree of Kenya are species of acacia that do have thorns, or spines. Giraffes and other herbivores normally eat thorny acacia foliage, but leave the whistling thorn alone. Usually spines are no deterrent to giraffes. Their long tongues are adapted to strip the leaves from the branches despite the thorns. The thorny acacia like dry and hot conditions. The thorns typically occur in pairs and are 5-8 centimetres (2-3 inches) long. Spines can be straight or curved depending on the species. MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Suda...

FEAST OR FAMINE

Search This Blog