BKDCTGEO.RVW   990916

"Dictionary of Geography", Malcolm Skinner/David Redfern/Geoff Farmer,
1999, 1-57958-154-4, U$40.00
%A   Malcolm Skinner
%A   David Redfern
%A   Geoff Farmer
%C   919 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL   60611
%D   1999
%G   1-57958-154-4
%I   Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers
%O   U$40.00
%P   311 p.
%T   "Dictionary of Geography"

Geography is, if you will pardon the obvious association, a rather
large topic to be the subject of a dictionary.  With no limitations on
the subject, fairly large definitions, and a modest number of pages,
it is no wonder that there are gaps in this work.

No particular audience is given for this dictionary, and so it is
difficult to say whether it meets the target expectations.  The book
is relatively small, so one assumes that the work is not necessarily
for professionals, and yet it is not the sort of thing to buy for
Christmas presents, either.  Definitions are clear enough for the
intelligent novice reader, although an understanding of the entries
does require some application.  The range of coverage is broad, but
not deep: even though geography is not my subject, some entries
prompted me to look for others, and I was surprised at the number of
listings I did not find.

Some of the terms are a bit surprising, although a moment's thought
can explain the inclusion of terms for topological mathematics and
other fields.  Further contemplation suggests that since this is,
after all, a geographical dictionary, rather than a geological one,
then political and economic concepts do have a place.  The reason that
these latter terms seem odd becomes clear after a more thorough
perusal: right wing political and social views seem to have a very
definite preponderance.  This is quite a business oriented
geographical glossary.

(Because of the variety of topics, there is more than the usual amount
of unintentional humour from proximity of concepts, such as the
juxtaposition of "tornado" and "tourism.")

This work may do for a high school level reference, but some work may
have to go into plugging the holes.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 1999   BKDCTGEO.RVW   990916