The Power of Where

“The Power of Where is visually stunning, and clearly and invitingly written. Jack Dangermond and his colleagues give a fascinating insiders’ account of one of the most important, yet still least publicized, technological revolutions of our time. People who already know about GIS will be inspired by the examples in this book. People who have barely heard of GIS will find this the right way to start and will want to use these new tools themselves. Readers of any background will have a more specific and positive sense of how to address national and global challenges.”

– James Fallows, Author and winner of the National Book Award

“The Power of Where is a bible of the types of maps, cartography, spatial analysis, and diagrams that can bring our ideas for the future to life.”

– Richard Saul Wurman, TED founder, architect, and designer

“Those who embrace a geographic approach to problem-solving can learn what’s happening on the ground from above and tie that in with what we know on the ground below. It’s changing the course of history.”

– Jane Goodall

“In my opinion, The Power of Where is now the definitive book on applied GIS technology—and is likely to remain so for years to come.”

– Gilbert Castle, GIS Consultant and Author

“It really is an astounding achievement, in which one man (with help from his partner and a few friends) built a company and a community around an idea. It’s taken 50 years to migrate to the beautiful simplicity of one word, “where,” which is really what it was all about from the start—the power of where and the science of where.”

– Michael Goodchild, Prof. Emeritus UCSB and Founder of NCGIA“[The Power of Where’s] look and feel meet the high quality standards of ESRI Press. In other words, it is a beautiful book, packed with illustrations, maps, images and diagrams…There is a well thought out structure to the content. The book begins with an introductory section that weaves together the personal development of Jack Dangermond, GIS, and his company, Esri, and its products…The book ends with a postscript explaining Jack and Laura Dangermond’s drive to use GIS to make the world a better place. This book is an inspiration and a testament to what their contributions and those of their community have achieved over the years. It is highly recommended not only to the geospatial community but to anyone interested in the well-being of our planet. The book is written in a clear and simple style. As already mentioned, it is very well illustrated with a wealth of applications.” – Menno-Jan Kraak * International Journal of Cartography 1080⁄23729333.2025.2465092) *

“a compendium of beautiful maps that librarians and GISenthusiasts will find irresistible”

– Lois M. Evans * Western Association of Map Libraries *

Widely acknowledged as the leading visionary in the field of geographic information system (GIS) technology, Jack Dangermond and his wife, Laura, launched the Environmental Systems Research Institute in 1969 with a shared vision that system thinking along with computer mapping and spatial analysis could help people design a better future. For more than 50 years, their vision has guided Esri’s GIS mapping and analytic technologies worldwide.

Their lifelong involvement in conservation dates to the early years of Esri when they began designing parks and planting trees in their community. In the decades since, they have donated thousands of trees to area schools, parks, and the community to support the local urban forest. More recently, they purchased and donated 25,000 acres of grassland, chaparral, oak woodland, and forest along the Central California coast to The Nature Conservancy to protect a biodiverse landscape known as the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve.

Jack’s life work has brought many honors, including the Planet and Humanity Medal from the International Geographical Union, the Champions of Earth Award from the United Nations, and the Alexander Graham Bell Medal from the National Geographic Society. Jack and Laura live in their hometown of Redlands, CA, where Esri is based.