Presenting “People and Places� of Africa, this companion volume to the Land Regions of Africa shows the variety of cultures on the continent.4.0 stars
Presenting “People and Places� of Africa, this companion volume to the Land Regions of Africa shows the variety of cultures on the continent.
Within six sections, (Population, Arts, Sports, Traditions, Economy, and Government), the text introduces the reader to approximately twelve different countries. As a standard, the volume includes a political map of the entire continent on the beginning pages.
Like the Land Regions volume, diversity is stressed revealing the many languages and cultures.
The Populations Section focuses on education and reveals increasing levels. However, it also reveals the difficulties of too few resources. This section also highlights Cairo, Egypt where population, migration—with both “push� and “pull� factors discussed—and pollution levels are rising. This same trend, per the volume, extends to countries and regions throughout the continent.
The health crisis of AIDS is spotlighted given the devastation, especially in South Africa.
The Arts Section presents the intriguing sculptures created in Zimbabwe, many made from Springstone, a “hard gray stone that looks black when polished.�
The Sports Section highlights running and soccer. And, the hard training that runners endure in Kenya is explored.
The Traditions Section presents one “changing� tradition—an international marriage, (here, a woman from Zimbabwe and a gentleman from Kenya)—and one “continued� tradition—the Massai tribes� initiation ceremony into manhood. Given the diversity within cultures, the engaged couple opt for two ceremonies combining Christian, Zimbabwean, and Kenyan tradition. The section on the Massai, while outlining many of the traditions involved with the initiation nevertheless omits the central event: the circumcision of the initiates.
The Economy Section highlights two vital concerns for Africa: the Oil economy in Nigeria, and the biotechnology introduced to maximize crop yields and its consequent economic sustainment. Both are presented as problematic; and, the text outlines how this is so. Interestingly, the oil issues in Nigeria seem similar, if not identical, to those in Venezuela—as highlighted in another volume of this series.
The last section, Government, outlines the South African apartheid issue presenting both a short history and a “look� at the country since the practice ended in 1991 with many positive changes shown.
This volume threads another motif or theme throughout: the improvement of women’s lives. With changing economies, more urbanization and increasing levels of education, opportunities for women have likewise increased—though the text also reveals how this is not the case everywhere.
Lastly, given the great diversity and number of countries within the continent, a reader may seek more from this little text than is offered; and, the question of expanding this particular volume arises. Yet, upon review of the series, that question easily could arise for other regions as well.
Series:
Beautiful photographs and easily accessible maps adorn each of the National Geographic World Region / Culture, Social Study, series.
Additionally, each book, whether the Regions or respective Cultures volume, maintains a clear prose style making the topic easily comprehensible. The experience is further enhanced by superb infographics, captions, and a relatively brief glossary. The series and the individual books were very well-planned for the middle school student, both in design and in text. The Lexile Levels range approximately from 840 to 940.
The publisher and individual authors, however, make full use of the layout space: the “bleeds� are striking and “capture� the sense of land and culture wonderfully.
Because the series is not an introductory textbook, this series works best when used to supplement such a text.
Beautiful photographs and easily accessible maps adorn each of the National Geographic World Region / Culture, Social Study, series.
A4.75 stars
Series:
Beautiful photographs and easily accessible maps adorn each of the National Geographic World Region / Culture, Social Study, series.
Additionally, each book, whether the Regions or respective Cultures volume, maintains a clear prose style making the topic easily comprehensible. The experience is further enhanced by superb infographics, captions, and a relatively brief glossary. The series and the individual books were very well-planned for the middle school student, both in design and in text. The Lexile Levels range approximately from 840 to 940.
The publisher and individual authors make full use of the layout space: the “bleeds� are striking and “capture� the sense of land and culture wonderfully.
Because the series is not an introductory textbook, this series works best when used to supplement such a text.
Simply, this series is excellent.
Book / Volume: Africa.
Revealing the geography and environments of the African continent, this volume, like the other World Region volumes, presents four distinct regions. Within the African continent, they are: the Sahara, the Savannah, the Rain Forest, and the Great Rift Valley.
And, as a standard, a topographic map of the entire continent is included which distinctly reveals the natural borders between regions.
The desert is described as “an environment of extremes,� and perhaps that notion refers to this continent as well since in one area of Africa, miles and miles . . . and miles of dangerous desert await—in another, a tropical rain forest—and in yet another, temperate climates with a volcanic mountain.
Given the diversity of landscape, the central theme throughout, as related to human beings, simply is adaptability.
Some of the facts outlined become intriguing: the entire landmass of the continental United States as “fitting� into the area of the Sahara—it’s that large; the Great Lakes of the Great Rift Valley—how deep, how nourishing; the Nile River, and its recently created human controls on flooding, and, the large area, over 40%, of Savannah plain, precious to so many species—including our fellow homo-sapiens.
The volume calls most attention to negative human impact, perhaps here, with the Savannah regions. Like the other volumes, negative human impact on the respective geographies becomes a central theme. Although the series never overtly mentions human population, a reader can infer this fundamental fact given synthesis from reading beyond a volume or two. And, each volume presents, along with the various geographies, various solutions to growing ecologic dilemmas. The “continental� Park Movement, here in Africa, however, impresses as a most promising solution for areas of the Savannah. Let us hope . . .
And so, once again, this National Geographic series has delivered another excellent volume. ...more
Beautiful photographs and easily accessible maps adorn each of the National Geographic World Region / Culture, Sociaby Steve Sheinkin
4.40 stars
Series:
Beautiful photographs and easily accessible maps adorn each of the National Geographic World Region / Culture, Social Study, series.
Additionally, each book, whether the Regions or respective Cultures volume, maintains a clear prose style making the topic easily comprehensible. The experience is further enhanced by superb infographics, captions, and a relatively brief glossary. The series and the individual books were very well-planned for the middle school student, both in design and in text. The Lexile Levels range approximately from 840 to 940.
The publisher and individual authors, however, make full use of the layout space: the “bleeds� are striking and “capture� the sense of land and culture wonderfully.
Because the series is NOT an introductory textbook, this series works best when used to supplement such a text.
Simply, this series is excellent.
Book / Volume: South America, People and Places.
This volume presents the “People and Places� of South America—the companion volume to the Land Region volume.
The “Culture� series explores the various people of the continent / area by presenting six different sections: an “At a Glance� Introduction, Populations, Traditions, (General), and a Focus on Traditions, (Particular � to one or two countries / areas), and a “Skill Practice.�
As a standard, an inclusive political map reveals the entire continent as well as the national boundaries separating nation states. Legend, latitude / longitude markings as well as major rivers and national capitals allow the reader / student to compare contrast Land / Region patterns with Human "patterns."
Like the Land Regions volume, diversity is stressed. As South America is a land of topographic diversity, so it is a land of human diversity, as well.
The Population Section reveals some surprising statistics relaying world context, average incomes, and most populous countries. The section explores further Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The Economy Section highlights the oil nation of Venezuela, the Water Power Dam at Itaipú, one possible solution / sustainable economic activity for the Amazon Rain Forest in Brazil, and the ironic effect of tourism on the Galápagos Islands of Ecuador.
The Cultural Traditions Section presents the Incan mummy find in Peru, the Carnival and Football, (Soccer), phenomenons of Brazil, and the horrifying account of Chile’s Salvador Allende and Pinochet, and the then hopeful, inspiring account of Allende’s daughter, Isabel, as she turns from journalist to novelist.
Finally, the “Skills Practice� Section focuses on interpreting statistics—a skill for Geography, the other Social Sciences, as well as the informed, thinking, and critical individual.
One setback to this series simply is that the human statistics of an area, (region, nation state, village, etc.), changes more rapidly than the land masses supporting them. Hence, the World Cultures series becomes more topical and changeable. The reader / student, then, necessarily has to “update� such information.
Although this series wonderfully complements the Land Regions Series volumes, some “solutions� to serious ecological problems seem “too easy,� as well. This may have been done to maintain a “hopeful� tone, perhaps.
Overall though, another excellent volume within an excellent series. ...more
Beautiful photographs and easily accessible maps adorn each of this National Geographic World Region / Culture, Social Study, series.4.75 stars
Series:
Beautiful photographs and easily accessible maps adorn each of this National Geographic World Region / Culture, Social Study, series.
Additionally, each book, whether the Regions or respective Cultures volume, maintains a clear prose style making the topic easily comprehensible. The experience is further enhanced by superb info-graphics, captions, and a relatively brief glossary. The series and the individual books are very well-planned for the middle school student, both in design and in text. The Lexile Levels range approximately from 840 to 940.
The publisher and individual authors do, however, make full use of the layout space: the “bleeds� are striking and “capture� the sense of land and culture wonderfully.
Because the series is not an introductory textbook, this series works best when used to supplement such a text.
Simply, this series is excellent.
Book / Volume: Europe and Russia.
This volume presents the continent of Europe and Russia, (Eurasia), focusing on four distinct regions: the Alps, the Northern Plains, the Mediterranean Region, and the Tundra and Taiga.
An inclusive topographic map, bled over two pages, reveals the entire region as well as the natural borders that have shaped human histories and cultures.
Two aspects of the region are stressed: geographic diversity and the harmful, environmental impacts of industrial and post-industrial human activity.
Some of the amazing human achievements include: the Alps� tunnels, the old practice of transhumance, land reclamation, (particularly in the Netherlands), the Main-Danube Canal, the ancient Roman aqueducts, the potential harmful effects from olive overplanting, and the Trans-Siberian Railroad.
Given some of the effects mentioned in this little 64-page text, one fact seems clear: Human population and activity are negatively affecting this wonderful, beautiful planet.
“You get what you pay for . . .� So, the saying goes . . .
And, these days, the commoner gets less, it seems, ensuring that money for profit, a4.5 stars
“You get what you pay for . . .� So, the saying goes . . .
And, these days, the commoner gets less, it seems, ensuring that money for profit, always flows.
So, when a true bargain appears, how can it not delight?
And, this little presidential picture book simply is that: a delight.
Although it appears to be a book for children / young adults, the NC 1080 Lexile level of Presidents testifies to its sophisticated prose and consequently reveals it to be a book for all ages.
With a blurb-sized narrative for each president, author Barber also presents a historical journey through United States history via photographs and captions which accompany each presidential entry. Major events, too, receive individual blurb-sized narratives.
Although deeper explications of the darker sides of various administrations seem wanting, this little book nevertheless reviews the major events and controversies of each president within his time.
The accompanying visual CD provides .jpeg files for printing and viewing, though the images are duplicates from the hard copy text. Particularly wonderful, though, is the listing of additional resources and websites presented at the end.
This “modest� little tome, then, becomes a “quick� reference to the presidents, events, and a surveying arc to United States history.
A delightful, quick read that spurs a desire for more.
I found this wonderful book in the “For Sale� rack at my local library. Consequently, it seems fitting that my biggest c4.65 stars
“In the Weeds . . .�
I found this wonderful book in the “For Sale� rack at my local library. Consequently, it seems fitting that my biggest criticism of the book parallels my criticism for the work of Elizabeth Warren, Jared Bernstein, and others: why weren’t these issues being raised earlier? Well, of course, they were. And, the aforementioned folks were the ones raising them.
So then, a follow-on question arises: why hasn’t the average viewer / reader seen or heard about these issues until just before our financial crash? The answer, it seems, lies with the changes in our media, our culture, and our government that have occurred over the last 30 years or so—the very changes to which the aforementioned folks and this book calls attention. And so, like Warren’s work on bankruptcy and Bernstein’s work on poverty, Russell’s work on social policy has remained largely “in the weeds.�
Published two years before the financial crash of 2008, Russell’s book nevertheless, then and now, becomes necessary reading.
On the surface, his investigation seemingly compares and contrasts social policy between the United States and Europe. Yet, when he delves into the “whys� of the differences between them, the reader sees one fundamental difference underlying all those other attending differences—one which Russell hermeneutically traces back in history to the United States� formation and Europe’s feudal heritage.
A sociologist, Russell makes his analysis not only with points from other sociologists / economists—Durkheim, Weber, and Marx, but also indirectly with past philosophers—Plato, Aristotle, and Hobbes. Additionally, the various tables of statistics, (for each social policy area), should be enough to alarm any American citizen. Yet, given recent history, alarm itself would seem a surprise.
True to his field, Russell rather makes no frantic plea. Rather, as his exploration / investigation takes into account two to three courses of action or “directions,� he returns to these to simply offer the reader the likely and logical possibilities. Indeed, we, the readers of these facts, become the agents for change—or not.
My only true critiques of this book are picayune: no mention of “The East� for perspective, a now out-of-date relay of public education, (that, too, is under attack from “free market� privatization), and health care, (“Obamacare� or the Affordable Care Act has passed, and is, at least for now, “holding� in place as law. Again, these are picayune points.
Finally, Russell’s exploration is absorbing, striking, and thought-provoking. Simply, this book is a "Must Read." A "Must Read" which should spur action.
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