Overview

This outstanding text provides students with the essential foundation in the historical geography of the United States. Distinguished scholar Richard L. Nostrand skillfully synthesizes decades of historical geography research in an engaging and thought-provoking overview for general readers and scholars alike. His regional geography framework emphasizes the three themes central to cultural geography-cultural ecology, cultural diffusion, and cultural landscape-to explain the formation and change of culture regions in the United States. He shows convincingly that regions are a valuable pedagogical device for developing students' understanding of place and context.

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9781538103968

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Reviews

Richard Nostrand has written an outstanding historical geography of the United States that will introduce generations of students and general readers to this engaging, yet neglected, field of study. He has skillfully synthesized decades of historical geography scholarship in a way that is enjoyable to read and thought-provoking for general readers and scholars alike. -- Andrew Milson, University of Texas-Arlington

Richard Nostrand has written an outstanding historical geography of the United States that will introduce generations of students and general readers to this engaging, yet neglected, field of study. He has skillfully synthesized decades of historical geography scholarship in a way that is enjoyable to read and thought-provoking for general readers and scholars alike. -- Andrew Milson, University of Texas-Arlington Nostrand deftly reexposes historical geography's rich regional roots, celebrates the contributions of giants of the field, and traces the dynamic human settlement processes that transformed the physical landscapes while creating the cultural and economic landscapes of the United States up to 1900. He efficiently accomplishes this in a single, highly readable volume with ample illustrations. -- Craig E. Colten, Louisiana State University Hands down, the most comprehensive historical geography of the United States between two covers. Nostrand gathers a lifetime of disciplined understanding to showcase why historical geography should be presented regionally. The Making of America's Culture Regions combines clear and insightful prose with thoughtful and revealing maps and illustrations. Geography at its very best. -- Daniel D. Arreola, Arizona State University A concise, wise, and deeply researched labor of love. Dick Nostrand draws on a vast literature and decades of scholarship to grace us with a splendid one-volume explanation of how America's culture regions formed. It is accessibly written and finely illustrated. The Making of America's Culture Regions assures Nostrand's place beside Brown, Zelinsky, and Meinig as a treasure of historical geography. -- John Wright, New Mexico State University Languages, lifeways, built environments, trails and roads, economies, eccentricities, and ethnicities come together in the `culture region.' Having mastered the beautiful blend of history and geography, Richard Nostrand has given us The Making of America's Culture Regions, a finely illustrated and perfectly realized text that brings North American landscapes together in ways that `we the people'-and a wonderfully diverse people we turn out to be-can truly appreciate. -- Paul F. Starrs, Regents & Foundation Distinguished Professor of Geography, University of Nevada, Reno

The writing is crisp, clear, and precise. . . . The book is generously illustrated. . . . It is truly a comprehensive look at the historical geography of the United States between two covers. Yet, at the same time the detailed bibliography is well-suited for anyone needing a primer on the major historical regions in the United States. . . . Nostrand's attention to detail and keen insight are revealed in every chapter of the book; he is a master at blending history and geography. . . . An outstanding example of regional geography. * AAG Review of Books * Richard Nostrand has written an outstanding historical geography of the United States that will introduce generations of students to this engaging, yet neglected, field of study. He has skillfully synthesized decades of historical geography scholarship in a way that is enjoyable to read and thought-provoking for general readers and scholars alike. -- Andrew Milson, University of Texas-Arlington Nostrand deftly reexposes historical geography's rich regional roots, celebrates the contributions of giants of the field, and traces the dynamic human settlement processes that transformed the physical landscapes while creating the cultural and economic landscapes of the United States up to 1900. He efficiently accomplishes this in a single, highly readable volume with ample illustrations. -- Craig E. Colten, Louisiana State University Hands down, the most comprehensive historical geography of the United States between two covers. Nostrand gathers a lifetime of disciplined understanding to showcase why historical geography should be presented regionally. The Making of America's Culture Regions combines clear and insightful prose with thoughtful and revealing maps and illustrations. Geography at its very best. -- Daniel D. Arreola, Arizona State University A concise, wise, and deeply researched labor of love. Dick Nostrand draws on a vast literature and decades of scholarship to grace us with a splendid one-volume explanation of how America's culture regions formed. It is accessibly written and finely illustrated. The Making of America's Culture Regions assures Nostrand's place beside Brown, Zelinsky, and Meinig as a treasure of historical geography. -- John Wright, New Mexico State University Languages, lifeways, built environments, trails and roads, economies, eccentricities, and ethnicities come together in the `culture region.' Having mastered the beautiful blend of history and geography, Richard Nostrand has given us The Making of America's Culture Regions, a finely illustrated and perfectly realized text that brings North American landscapes together in ways that `we the people'-and a wonderfully diverse people we turn out to be-can truly appreciate. -- Paul F. Starrs, Regents & Foundation Distinguished Professor of Geography, University of Nevada, Reno The new maps alone make the volume worthwhile and vital for teaching. . . . The book is a superb guide for anyone wanting to understand the development of the country's regional diversity and how features of the cultural landscape created long ago have persisted in the present. * Journal of Historical Geography * A restatement of the book's three themes for cultural regions, that is, cultural ecology, cultural diffusion, and cultural landscapes, concludes the book with a brief discussion of their six underlying influences, that is, physical barriers, resource management, uneven advance, pluralistic society, geographic persistence, and regions versus homelands. These would merit such lengthy explanations as to exceed the limits of this review. Hence, they are worth the readers' further attention. Nostrand's specialization on the United States' historical geography throughout his teaching career will most especially benefit the general readers due to his gift in this likely culmination. * Journal of the West *

Author Information

Richard L. Nostrand is David Ross Boyd Professor Emeritus of Geography at the University of Oklahoma.

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