Geography Is Destiny
Britain and the World, a 10,000 Year History
Published on 12. May 2022
Book
Hardback
576 pages
978-1-78125-835-4 (ISBN)
Description
'Ian Morris has established himself as a leader in making big history interesting and understandable' Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs and Steel
'Morris succeeds triumphantly at cramming 10,000 years of history into a single book' Robert Colvile, Times
Geography is Destiny tells the history of Britain and its changing relationships with Europe and the wider world, from its physical separation at the end of the Ice Age to the first flickers of a United Kingdom, struggles for the Atlantic, and rise of the Pacific Rim.
Applying the latest archaeological evidence, Ian Morris explores how geography, migration, government and new technologies interacted to produce regional inequalities that still affect us today. He charts Britain's geopolitical fortunes over thousands of years, revealing its transformation from a European satellite into a state at the centre of global power, commerce, and culture. But as power and wealth shift from West to East, does Britain's future lie with Europe or the wider world?
'Morris succeeds triumphantly at cramming 10,000 years of history into a single book' Robert Colvile, Times
Geography is Destiny tells the history of Britain and its changing relationships with Europe and the wider world, from its physical separation at the end of the Ice Age to the first flickers of a United Kingdom, struggles for the Atlantic, and rise of the Pacific Rim.
Applying the latest archaeological evidence, Ian Morris explores how geography, migration, government and new technologies interacted to produce regional inequalities that still affect us today. He charts Britain's geopolitical fortunes over thousands of years, revealing its transformation from a European satellite into a state at the centre of global power, commerce, and culture. But as power and wealth shift from West to East, does Britain's future lie with Europe or the wider world?
Reviews / Votes
A 'big ideas' gallop ... Morris succeeds triumphantly at cramming 10,000 years of history into a single book -- Robert Colvile * Times * Morris is a jaunty, accessible writer, especially strong on his home field of archaeology, and this is a book brimming with neat slogans and ideas -- Dan Jones * Sunday Times * Morris writes with great knowledge and wisdom and a certain panache ... I can't think of a better, more thought-provoking and generally wise introduction to the 'long' history of Britain's changing relations with continental Europe and the wider world than Geography is Destiny, or one that is such a terrific read -- Bernard Porter * Literary Review * Praise for Ian Morris:'A great work of synthesis and argument, drawing together an awesome range of materials and authorities -- Andrew Marr A fresh perspective ... Ian Morris has established himself as a leader in making big history interesting and understandable -- Jared Diamond, author * Guns, Germs, and Steel * Clever, acute and counterintuitive ... a pleasure to read -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times * Brilliantly argued across a huge sweep, combining history with human geography, human and natural sciences. It is a magnificent and stimulating read, and should be given to anyone involved in the business of war and peace, or the human fate in any respect - and already a book of the year -- Robert Fox * Evening Standard * A provocative and extraordinary contribution to wide-screen comparative history ... a true banquet of ideas -- Boyd Tonkin * Independent * This is an astonishing book, full of controversy, brilliantly researched and thoughtfully argued ... one of the most fascinating and thought-provoking histories I've read in years * Daily Telegraph * One doffs one's hat to Morris's breadth, ambition and erudition * Sunday Times * An astonishing work -- David S. Landes, author * The Wealth and Poverty of Nations * An exuberant and wonderfully entertaining tour de force of history, archaeology, anthropology, geography, evolutionary biology and technological and military speculation... a terrific book -- David Crane * The Spectator * It is the book's elegantly succinct prose that will most captivate readers ... filled with lucid explanations of the most recondite questions, with many revealing quotations and witty asides -- Edward Luttwak * Prospect * Remarkable ... historian Morris argues not only that war is a source of technological advance but that it brings peace ... the thesis is disturbingly persuasive -- Martin Wolf * Financial Times * Gleefully provocative yet alarmingly persuasive... one of the most original history books in years * Mail on Sunday *
More details
Edition
Main
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Product notice
Trade binding
Illustrations
B&W illustrations and maps
Dimensions
Height: 236 mm
Width: 165 mm
Thickness: 55 mm
Weight
828 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78125-835-4 (9781781258354)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
05/2022
Profile Books Ltd
€15.49
Available for download
Person
Ian Morris teaches at Stanford University and is a Fellow of the British Academy. He is the bestselling author of Why the West Rules - For Now and War: What is it Good For? He has won awards for teaching and writing and has directed archaeological digs in Greece and Italy.