One focus is on how the rise of technology will affect the advantages and problems that are a result of a nation’s geographical features. Not only does it describe what Marshall has seen and experienced in the past, but he considers his thoughts for the future of different nations. It also brings to life content that could otherwise easily be exceptionally dry, making you want to continue to learn. Offering a take on the complex relationships between nations through first-hand experiences and anecdotes makes this book an easy read. Marshall, a former diplomatic affairs and foreign affairs editor at Sky News, brings the events to life by interspersing facts and figures with his own personal experiences. Whether you want to understand Russia’s annexation of Crimea, discover why the US had the makings to become and is likely to remain a global superpower, or find out more about the treatment of the Uyghurs in China, this book hosts a wealth of information, presented in easily digestible, bite-sized chunks. Marshall makes this content accessible by splitting the book into 10 chapters, with each chapter focusing on a different part of the world, so you can pick and choose specific areas that are of most interest and relevance to you. The premise of this book revolves around considering a variety of different maps and explaining how the physical geography has affected the history of the area, focusing mainly on recent, well-known conflicts and issues. Defined as politics, especially international relations, that is affected by geographical factors, this book demonstrates how significant events that have happened in the past, and those that will happen in the future, can be largely attributed to a nation’s geography. Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall was the book that allowed me to overcome this distaste and develop a strong appreciation for geopolitics.

As an A-Level Physical Geography and Geology student, I was very much uninterested in the side of my subjects that revolved around the interactions of humans with the environment.

Tim marshall geography book