When geographic ideas change the world in our heads, the impact can be read on the ground and in our lives. In these thought-provoking, witty essays, some of America's most distinguished geographers explore ten geographic ideas that have literally changed the world and the way we think and act. They tackle ideas that impose shape on the world, ideas that mold our understanding of the natural environment, and ideas that establish relationships between people and places. Every one of these ideas has had--and continues to have—a deep effect on the way we understand the world and our place in it. A compelling introduction to the discipline of geography, this colleciton will change the way you look at both geography and the world!

The contributors, who include several past presidents of the Association of American Geographers, members of the National Academy of Sciences, and authors of major works in the discipline, are: Elizabeth K. Burns, Patricia Gober, Anne Godlewska, Michael F. Goodchild, Susan Hanson, Robert W. Kates, John R. Mather, William B. Meyer, Mark Monmonier, Edward Relph, Edward J. Taaffe, and B. L. Turner, II.

Susan Hanson is a professor in the school of geography at Clark University, and a past president of the Association of American Geographers.