Myths of Geography

Myths of Geography is insightful, entertaining and will force you to think differently. It’s a much-needed exploration of the realities of the world around us * Dipo Faloyin, author of Africa is Not a Country *As continents, borders, nations, economic growth and sovereignty become the buzzwords of today’s global conflicts, Paul Richardson’s Myths of Geography skewers each one with elegant precision. His book places political geography at the heart of how we understand the challenges of the twenty-first century. A bracing and important book * Jerry Brotton, author of Four Points of the Compass: The Unexpected History of Direction *Our world can sometimes seem upside-down. Perhaps it is. In detailed and fervid prose, Paul Richardson dismantles eight myths we have come to tell ourselves about geography. By revealing important truths this folklore conceals, he shows us how our geographical imagination has far-reaching consequences. From Hadrian’s Wall to the US-Mexico border, from the Eastern Sahara to the ice of Antarctica, from silk roads to Ethiopian castles, Richardson takes us to places that invite reflection - and action. After reading Myths of Geography, no news report, no map, no journey will appear quite the same again * David Rooney, author of About Time *Outstanding. Completely reframes how you see the world in the very first chapter, and then does it again seven more times. You’ll never look at a map the same way again * Jonn Elledge, author of A History of the World in 47 Borders *In this original and stimulating challenge to our assumptions about the shapes of our geographies, Paul Richardson changes the way we see the world - from how many continents there really are to the myths and realities of border walls and the nations they seek to contain * Isabel Hilton *Tears into the accepted wisdoms of mapmaking … just fascinating * Wanderlust *

Paul Richardson is Associate Professor in Human Geography at the University of Birmingham in the UK. He is an established scholar in the field of Geography and Russian Studies, and the current President of the Association for Borderland Studies. He has previously held academic positions at Hokkaido University in Japan, and the Far Eastern Federal University in Russia. Beyond academic publications, he has also written for the New Statesman and The Hindu newspaper. He has also advised documentary film makers at the BBC and National Geographic TV. Myths of Geography is his first trade book.