Friday, October 9, 2009

How the States Got Their Shapes by Mark Stein

While many grade-schoolers would argue with me, I'd venture that geography is fascinating: I mean, you've got your world politics, scientific land forms, cultural influences, petty gripes and grudges, and religion - all mixed up in one big pot!

This book is IDEAL for a trivia or history geek. We experience the geography of US states every day, yet hardly anybody thinks about it. Why doesn't Wisconsin own Michigan's Upper Peninsula? Why does Oklahoma have a panhandle? Why is Rhode Island even a state?

I thought this might be a pick-up and put-down book (and you maybe could try that) but I think it would be better if you just started at the beginning and worked straight through. So many of the stories are intertwined, and the author lets them build upon one another as you work through the book.

This book would be a great gift to give the history and culture lovers in your life. It's not a brief, quick read, but it is truly interesting (and written well). I only made it through about half before I had to give up and return it to the library, but I'll check it out again some time to finish. It's that good!

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