Abstract
Mr. Howarth has written a small book on a most important subject. Its size is the only fault we have to find with this excellent volume, although it is a pity that a title more descriptive of the content was not chosen. Enthusiasm for the geographical point of view too often leads to exaggerated statements of the influence of environment on human activities and is prone to encourage generalisations which not infrequently ignore the facts. Mr. Howarth is too careful a geographer to fall into these bad ways. He traces the nature of geographical influences, and in selected cases tries to estimate the forces of the factors involved. Chapters on the factors of environment are followed by others on distribution, migration, and transport. Particularly suggestive are the chapters on geographical environment and political states, and the local application of environmental study. The latter expounds the idea of regional survey in its value as a co-ordinating study of the things and peoples around us. Mr. Howarth's thoughtful and lucidly written volume should help geography to find its proper place in educational schemes. It deserves to be read widely.
The World About Us: A Study in Geographical Environment.
O. J. R.
Howarth
By. Pp. 94. (London: Oxford University Press, 1922.) 2s. 6d. net.
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The World About Us: A Study in Geographical Environment . Nature 110, 376 (1922). https://doi.org/10.1038/110376c0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/110376c0