The Revenge of Geography: What the Map Tells Us About Coming Conflicts and the Battle Against Fate

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The Revenge of Geography: What the Map Tells Us About Coming Conflicts and the Battle Against Fate

3.4 of 5 stars 3.40 · rating details · 385 ratings · 101 reviews

In this provocative, startling book, Robert D. Kaplan, the bestselling author of Monsoon and Balkan Ghosts, offers a revelatory new prism through which to view global upheavals and to understand what lies ahead for continents and countries around the world.

In The Revenge of Geography, Kaplan builds on the insights, discoveries, and theories of great geographers and geopo...more

Hardcover, 432 pages

Published September 11th 2012 by Random House (first published January 1st 2012)

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Dec 05, 2012 Ken rated it 2 of 5 stars

"Revelatory prism?" No. Frankly, I read a lot of geopolitics and there aren't any new revelations here. I was fairly disappointed in this book, written by someone with tremendous expertise in the field. Although it contains some interesting and even exciting ideas, the text is not well-conceptualized and I am left with the belief that an awful lot was left on the table. The first concern is that it is not clear what audience Kaplan is writing for. On the one hand, the style assumes a significant...more "Revelatory prism?" No. Frankly, I read a lot of geopolitics and there aren't any new revelations here. I was fairly disappointed in this book, written by someone with tremendous expertise in the field. Although it contains some interesting and even exciting ideas, the text is not well-conceptualized and I am left with the belief that an awful lot was left on the table. The first concern is that it is not clear what audience Kaplan is writing for. On the one hand, the style assumes a significant amount of familiarity with geography and geopolitics. He throws around ideas and people without adequate introduction or explanation for a reader new to the field. This is a particular problem in the first few quagmiresque chapters in which he outlines some of the field's major thinkers and their place in history. Someone with expertise might find this an interesting analysis and be able to parse some finer points in his argument, but the section is a barrier to anyone without a base familiarity. I myself only held on because of the prospect of something better. After a brief period in the middle which seems promising but lacking in the presentation of evidence, the book becomes a fairly superficial exercise - so much so that anyone with knowledge in the field would likely find it a pointless restatement of fairly common information. Thus, some portions assume too much knowledge for most readers, and the remainder would be a waste for those with the knowledge to tackle the beginning.

In general, the book feels under-researched. It is lean on citations and evidence, so that while his descriptions of phenomena may be accurate, he does not provide a basis to conclude that his causal inferences are sound, nor does he take any real risks in predicting the future. If this is the best that geography can offer then the title is poorly chosen, for if that is true then geography does not offer a great deal. My view is that this is a fialure of the author, not the field. Oddly, it suffers from a pronounced lack of adequate maps, which seems like a careless oversight in a book that discusses them on virtually every page.(less)

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Apr 09, 2013 James rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: current-events, history

A disappointing read, almost painful at times, and a missed opportunity. There is useful content here but it is poorly organized. The book reads like a series of rambling lectures. The text is verbose and repetitive; brace yourself for frequent appearances of the phrases, ‘as noted’, ‘as we have seen’, and ‘as I have explained’. Was there no editor for ‘Revenge’? And forget about using this book as a reference text for there is no index.

Much space is given over to describing national and geogra...more

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May 11, 2013 Steven Peterson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Robert Kaplan contends in this book that geography matters a great deal in the unfolding of the human endeavor. Early on, he observes (Page xix): "I will introduce readers to a group of decidedly unfashionable thinkers, who push up hard against the notion that geography no longer matters." Ho notes that he does not contend that geography is destiny and is the only important factor in the world of human concerns. Nonetheless, once one finishes this book, he or she will realize that Kaplan thinks...more

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May 08, 2013 Daniel Deller rated it 1 of 5 stars

I have read a few of Robert Kaplan's books: Balkan Ghosts, The Ends of the Earth, and Eastward to Tartary. I read "Monsoon" last year, and was captivated. I find his style of travelogue/reportage excellent. It is like you are traveling with him through some of the "hot spots" that feature on the evening news. He blends travel diary, history, anthropology and geopolitics into a seamless whole, like a geographer on the move! So, I was looking forward to picking up "The Revenge of Geography". I was...more

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Feb 22, 2013 Jack rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: history, politics, nonfiction

What a thorough disappointment! An important topic that needs to be discussed, particularly after two decades (or more, according to Kaplan) of liberal institutionalism/responsibility to protect adventurism (or the often ignored call for it, followed by neoconservative adventurism (unfortunately less ignored). Bringing back into discussion the realist worldview is necessary, and the importance of geography as a major factor in determining why the world works (or doesn't work) as it does (or does...more

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Jan 13, 2013 Bryce Gardner rated it 4 of 5 stars

Finishing this book was bitter-sweet for me. I awaited the books arrival for so long and immediately dived head first. Upon finishing this book I feel both relieved and disappointed that it is not a hundred pages longer. As a geography student, I come to this book with significant knowledge on the subject matter already. However, I feel that to fully appreciate this book for all its merit, I would need a degree in Geography, Religion, Political Science, and History. Personally, I feel as though...more

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Nov 18, 2012 Clint Cypert rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: geography, history, politics-and-foreign-policy

The Revenge of Geography takes geopolitics to an entirely new level. Robert Kaplan splits the book into essentially three parts. The first part looks at geopolitics in general and specifically looks at the theories of well respected intellectuals of the past. The second part of the book looks at the various areas of the world (Russia, China, India, Iran, etc.) where there is potential for conflict with neighboring countries or political unrest within. The last third of the book deals primarily w...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Mal Warwick rated it 5 of 5 stars

A Fresh and Thought-provoking View of Global Politics

Geopolitics — the subject of this fascinating book — has literally been on my mind almost throughout my life.

I had recently turned three when the Allies invaded Normandy, beginning the long, last phase of World War II in Europe. I have no active memory of the invasion, but I’ve been told that I learned to read by studying the news about the event and its aftermath. My father read the newspaper at dinner, and I sat opposite him, leaning over th...more

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Jan 23, 2013 Marks54 rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was an enjoyable book but not without shortcomings in its construction. Kaplan has always been effective as a writer on geography and various exotic locations. I recently read his book on the Indian Ocean region (Monsoon) and enjoyed it greatly. The point here is to focus more closely on a principled view of geography and its influence on military, foreign, and economic affairs. The focal point comes early on in a review of some of the major geographical "theorists", especially Mackinder an...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Wanda rated it 1 of 5 stars

Stupid name for a trite book redeemed by a few good lines and an occasional useful insight. As for the title, the "influence" or the "significance" of geography would have made sense, but "revenge"?

Kaplan, who served in the Israeli army but not in the American army (he is old enough to have served in Vietnam), seems to have lot more interest in and knowledge of the middle east than of America and its Latin neighbors, especially Mexico. V.D. Hanson's Mexifornia has a lot more interesting and use...more

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Nov 05, 2012 Andrew rated it 5 of 5 stars

Robert Kaplan is back with a bang with this illuminating tome. His first order of business - he apologizes for becoming too close to the neo-conservative movement and the US military. While this is not a pass for his prior transgressions, it is a start to rehabilitate his excellent work of the 1990s.

Kaplan analyzes the major geographers of the past such as Mackinder and Spengler, and views the current geopolitical situation with a great deal of concern. Geography will matter more in the future b...more

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Jan 20, 2013 Jeffrey rated it 3 of 5 stars

While filled with some insightful perspectives, and several historical tidbits that students of history and current events will find interesting, I found the book a bit disappointing. The book suffers in part from the author's often-tedious writing style, but mostly disappoints when it plods through cultural minutiae having little to do with its primary topic: the impact that the planet's geography has had on human culture and history.

That being said, I found the book well worth the trouble of w...more

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Dec 24, 2012 Dr. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: general-history

This was an interesting read. I have read very little straight up geo-politics and this book seems like a good place to start on the subject. It is pretty much an overview of geo-political thought going region by region. Kaplan gives brief histories of the parts of the world he addreses and goes on to deliver analysis on their current geo-political situations and where he sees things going in the future. It is a ton of food for thought and there are probably a dozen books refered to in it that I...more

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Oct 05, 2012 Carolyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: history, library-books, nonfiction, economics, essays, political-commentary, geopolitics

Kaplan here displays his usual depth and erudition, giving us a new view of geopolitics with the focus on geography, which he regards as far more important than we usually consider it. He starts in Section I with a summary of the thoughts of great minds on the topic, from Herodotus to Kissinger and beyond. In Section II he focuses on a number of significant states, civilizations, and empires past and present, including China, India, Russia, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and Afghanistan. He refers to Euras...more Kaplan here displays his usual depth and erudition, giving us a new view of geopolitics with the focus on geography, which he regards as far more important than we usually consider it. He starts in Section I with a summary of the thoughts of great minds on the topic, from Herodotus to Kissinger and beyond. In Section II he focuses on a number of significant states, civilizations, and empires past and present, including China, India, Russia, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and Afghanistan. He refers to Eurasia as the "world island" and points out how each country's nearness and accessibility to its neighbors contributes to or detracts from its power and influence. Geology, he says, can be surmounted by the actions of strong leaders, but because geology doesn't change, it remains highly relevant even in today's world of instant communication and reach of fast travel.

Section III is called "America's Destiny" and discusses the U.S. role in world geopolitics. It is quite unfortunate, Kaplan says, that Americans have spent trillions of dollars on wars half a world away, when our most pressing and sensitive issue is our relationship with Mexico. Borders are inherently unstable when they separate rich countries from poor, and the U.S. has five times the per capita GDP of Mexico, putting increasing stress on the border. Since much of the U.S. Southwest belonged to Mexico not so long ago, many Mexicans on both sides of the border see reclaiming those areas as legitimate.

Unfortunately the valuable ideas in this book are marred by poor editing throughout. Most sentences are too long and complex, forcing the reader to go back in search of the subject or the antecedent. Here's an example:

Mexican Americans, who account for 12.5 percent of the U.S.
population, not counting other Hispanics, and are, more or
less, concentrated in the Southwest, contiguous to Mexico,
are for the first time in America's history amending our
historical memory.

Colons and semicolons are tossed into the middle of sentences to break things up, but they are overused and often used incorrectly. It's a shame Kaplan's valuable insights are buried in such a stylistic bog.

(less)

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Jan 10, 2013 Zachary Buttel rated it 3 of 5 stars

I am no geography expert so some of what Kaplan says is either new or at least nuanced to me. I have read a number of his previous books and he is one of my favorite travel/international politics writers. This is not one of his best books but it is good and the topic is very interesting. His insights into Mexico and Turkey were more nuanced than the theories of the Huntingtons, Fukuyamas and Friedmans. Although clearly well read, he is by no means the world's best expert on the Middle East but I...more

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Nov 04, 2012 Brian T rated it 4 of 5 stars

For those of us that get lost in maps and find ourselves constantly using our tablets and Smart-Phones to look at a map of some random place in Kazakhstan because we heard a story about it on NPR, this is a must-read.

I really enjoyed this book for a number of reasons. It was fact-filled buy incredibly easy to read. The subject matter is so vast, but I found the layout to be straight-forward and easy to follow.

The world is a very inter-related place. Even though we may often find ourselves think...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Lindsey rated it 3 of 5 stars

I picked this out because I recognized the author and was interested in the subject matter -- and found out about halfway through that he was a visiting professor at the Naval Academy for a few years! No wonder I knew that name!!

This book was interesting because I enjoy political geography, but not really a great read. It started out incredibly slow, with the first 40% of the book a series of chapters devoted to political geography theorists. Once I plodded through that, however, it picked up, a...more

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Apr 04, 2013 J. S. Turner rated it 1 of 5 stars

Wow, this book was such a disappointment. Kaplan's writing and structure is very odd and dry. The book reads more like a doctoral thesis than a book. Kaplan spends so much time quoting others, I am not sure what he is trying to convey or who he is writing for.

Geography hinders, got it. The opening is nothing more than name dropping and a collection of praises to the "liberal idealist intellectual elites" regarding their thoughts on the shaping of the world. Kaplan is long-winded and like any go...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Krishna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Kaplan argues that geography still matters for the way societies and nations organize themselves and project power in their neighborhoods and beyond. This is a necessary corrective to post-modern, 'the world is flat,' vision of globalization that seems to hold sway at the moment. As usual, Kaplan delivers an insightful, thought-provoking work marked by a deep knowledge of the peoples and states he talks about.

Kaplan first reviews in part 1, a number of theories of geopolitics, including Mackinde...more Kaplan argues that geography still matters for the way societies and nations organize themselves and project power in their neighborhoods and beyond. This is a necessary corrective to post-modern, 'the world is flat,' vision of globalization that seems to hold sway at the moment. As usual, Kaplan delivers an insightful, thought-provoking work marked by a deep knowledge of the peoples and states he talks about.

Kaplan first reviews in part 1, a number of theories of geopolitics, including Mackinder's heartland hypothesis, Spyker's rimland thesis, Hodgson's 'oikoumene,' and Mahan's arguments in favor of sea power. All agree essentially that the main 'action' is on the Eurasian continents (the "world island") because historically and even now, they accounted for the majority of the world's population and natural resources. The power that dominates the world island naturally dominates the world, but theorists differ on what factors lend a power control of the world island.

For Mackinder, this was the heartland, the vast unpopulated but resource rich interior of Asia; any power that controlled it, will control Eurasia and thus the world. For Spyker the focus was on the rimland, the four densely populated peripheries of the heartland -- Europe, West Asia, India and China. Rimland powers are threatened from both land and sea, but have the potential to break out in either direction. Incidentally, Spyker claims it is no coincidence that each of the four rimlands produced unique civilizational/religious cultures. Hodgson focuses on the 'oikoumene, the 'inhabited zone' for the Greeks, the vast quadrilateral bounded by the Nile and the Oxus, the Arabian Sea and the Caucasus. It is from this region, always prone to conflict because it is at the cross-roads of three continents and with no defensible natural borders, that all world changing phenomena originate, be they city states, empires or world religions.

Mahan in contrast prioritizes sea power. Nations able to project power through control of the sea gain the advantage of mobility and access, denied to their land-bound counterparts. In a telling example, Kaplan says that the Roman victory in the Punic wars was due primarily to naval power that made the Mediterranean a Roman pond, forcing Hannibal to take the long route and overextend his supply lines.

Kaplan's part 2 is devoted to the analysis of the geopolitics of specific regions -- Europe, Russia, China, India, Iran, Turkey and the former Ottoman regions, and finally the United States.

It is interesting how borders, even when they seem totally arbitrary, often have a deep geographic/historic logic behind them. For example, during the cold war, the border dividing Germany was considered a totally accidental construct where two armies came to a standstill. But Kaplan, always the master of the telling detail, says that the border coincided almost exactly with the historical dividing line in central Europe, between the western maritime half, and the eastern, Prussian land powers. Similarly, Russia's national temperament is attributed to the vast indefensible borders to the south and east from where the invasions of the nomadic steppe peoples came. In China's case, Kaplan explains why the imperatives of trade and resource extraction have made the nation's strategic thinkers increasingly Mahanian -- aiming to extend naval control over the inner island chain, and then into the blue waters beyond. The image of Taiwan as an unsinkable battleship positioned at the center of the island chain is evocative.

Iran's historical coherence as a nation and a civilization is traced to the well-defined, defensible borders of the Iranian plateau, which constituted the heartland of successive Iranian empires -- from the Achaemenid, Parthian, Sassanian, and on to modern times. Turkey similarly has well-defined borders that make it almost an island -- seas on three sides and mountains on the fourth. In contrast, Iraq's borders are artificial and conflict goes back to ancient history, between the Sumerian south, the Akkadian center and the Assyrian north (different time periods though). Syria is cleft between a Mediterranean Aleppo and an east-facing Damascus, with Homs and Hama in between.

Kaplan's fine book has only a few flaws. One is a certain incoherence in part 1, where possibly in an attempt to enliven the presentation, Kaplan moves back and forth between various theories when devoting full attention to each might have been better. Also, Kaplan for a scholar with an ecumenical vision, sometimes lapses into the tired language of the orientalist thinkers of the nineteenth century -- at one point comparing Westernized Greece and Asiatic Persia. The Greeks were Westernized? At a time when the West was a vast barbarian wasteland? And does Kaplan suggest that there is something common to all Asia that might be labeled Asiatic? Perhaps the choice of words was unintended and acquired by osmosis from the old geopolitical treatises in which he was immersed while writing the book.(less)

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Oct 06, 2012 Scott Whitmore rated it 5 of 5 stars

Thought-provoking look at how geography influenced world events in the past, and how it continues to play a role even in this age of missiles, cell phones and microchips.

I've enjoyed every one of Mr. Kaplan's books, although I'm pleased that he's once again viewing the world from the 10,000-foot level, as one of my former commanding officers would say. His up-close profiles of America's military, "Imperial Grunts" and "Hog Pilots and Blue Water Grunts" were enjoyable, but I like it best when he...more

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May 09, 2013 Richard rated it 4 of 5 stars

It may be that I am a geopolitical naif, but I found this book to be enlightening and supportive in a number of ways. First, it lays the groundwork for a geographical geopolitical sense by presenting the views of a series of analysts, only one of which--Adm. Mahan--I was aware. Then, Kaplan takes the theories through a series of countries/geographical sites. I enjoyed the analyses of Iran and Afghanistan especially and, somewhat less, that of Syria because I have come to similar conclusions. Sti...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Ryan Rommann rated it 2 of 5 stars

It's a great discussion of geography and a good discussion of politics. It, however, falters on the combined geopolitics. Guilty of post hoc ergo propter hoc, Kaplan often overlays his thesis of "geographic revenge" on political issues once they've transpired - post facto molding a convenient geographic explanation to historical political events. Popper would be disappointed.

His detailed arguments of geography or politics rarely seemed to commingle, despite Kaplan's fervent insistence. Where ge...more

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Feb 05, 2013 H Wesselius rated it 1 of 5 stars

To write about geopolitics can sometimes result in theoritical musings from someone who perhaps played too much RISK as a child or as someone else mentioned a university professor whose off the cuff thought process is strangely taken seriously. In the case of the Revenge of Geography, both situations occurred to me.

The first section rambled incoherently on past theorists and the "lay of the land". If I wasn't such a geek for this topic, I would've quit at this time. In part two, he analyzes the...more To write about geopolitics can sometimes result in theoritical musings from someone who perhaps played too much RISK as a child or as someone else mentioned a university professor whose off the cuff thought process is strangely taken seriously. In the case of the Revenge of Geography, both situations occurred to me.

The first section rambled incoherently on past theorists and the "lay of the land". If I wasn't such a geek for this topic, I would've quit at this time. In part two, he analyzes the geopolitical position of various countries. Other than his analysis of Iran's position, not much new was said and for the most part he was recycling common held ideas. And finally his analysis of the American position in relation to Mexico was irratating and quite frankly wrong. The whole of the book suffered from the inconcievable lack of maps.

In particular, his attempt to link intervention in Bosnia to the Iraqi invasion was a stretch. The former was an intervention to prevent an immediate humanitarian disaster caused by an on-going civil and inter-state war whereas the latter was an invasion based on mistaken geopolitics and excused by concern for a dictator's excesses. In part his linkage is motivated by his own support for the Iraqi war.

His exercise in crowd psychology gets a bit riduclous when he posits that the election of Obama and the anti-war mmovement were the result of crowd psychology.

Finally he worries about the debasement of American culture by a gradual latinization process. Somehow, Mexican immigration is a threat to what to him is a singular American culture based on the puritan work ethic and individualims. A rather simplistic view of history. American culture originated by not just Puritans but the faux aristocracy of the South, not to mention African slaves and host of other peoples. His concern for the southern border shouldn't be cultural based but rather law and order. Instead of discussing culture and assimilation, he should look at the drug war and its effect on border security.

In all, a disapppointing piece of work. (less)

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Feb 18, 2013 Brian Prosser rated it 4 of 5 stars

Up front I'll say that my knowledge of geography is not one of my strengths...my country school education did many things, but there was not an emphasis on the globe and its peoples. All on all, I enjoyed reading this book; having said that, it was tough to get through the first part of the book. Kaplan essentially attempts to encapsulate the study of geography and its "visionaries." I found myself looking at a map to keep up with him as he covered several obtuse references to different regions,...more Up front I'll say that my knowledge of geography is not one of my strengths...my country school education did many things, but there was not an emphasis on the globe and its peoples. All on all, I enjoyed reading this book; having said that, it was tough to get through the first part of the book. Kaplan essentially attempts to encapsulate the study of geography and its "visionaries." I found myself looking at a map to keep up with him as he covered several obtuse references to different regions, much of it - at least for me - with no apparent logic to his thoughts. Okay...it was better than that, but there is little I can remember that I'll take away from the first part of his book. From Kaplan's perspective, he used it to build a foundation for his analyses of different regions and countries in the middle part of the book. The middle piece is the strength, and I found it to be enjoyable and educational. He covers the following countries and regions: Europe, Russia, China, India and Iran. He doesn't isolate the countries, for he provides a context for the importance of geography in a country's history --- such as India's realization that its borders are weak in places and its continued concern of Pakistan and even Afghanistan in the northwest. With Iran, he discusses it within the context of Persia and the Middle East which brings Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Turkey into the conversation. Thought it was well done. In the last portion of the book, Kaplan deals with the U.S., mostly from a vantage point of its relationship with Mexico. Frankly, I've wondered for years why the U.S. does not pay more attention, effort and time in its relationship with Mexico. Some of our major issues today are a direct reflection of the problems and challenges currently being dealt with in Mexico. Kaplan complains about those "east coast elites," in that they pay far too much attention to places around around the world and not enough on our own backyard. Sadly Kaplan does the same thing, and doesn't provide a deeper understanding of Mexico like he did for the countries previously stated - a major weakness for me. As I wrote before...all in all a good book; would recommend it.(less)

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May 07, 2013 Harrison rated it 3 of 5 stars

not really well organized, lacked strong points (geography is important?). felt like a tribute to thinkers of the past and an application of rather than an improvement on their ideas.

best when discussing specific examples, which are probably boring to someone who actually knows their history (i.e. not me)

somewhat not rigorous at times, though perhaps these expectations are misplaced. it's intuitively convincing to me that certainly geographical considerations are important but i was hoping for m...more

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Oct 14, 2012 Adrian rated it 5 of 5 stars

This may indeed be Kaplan's most important piece of work yet, and that is not in any way to detract from his previous writings. Kaplan has a unique writing style, combining history with personal travel experience to create the impression that one is living the historical journey, however, with this work, Kaplan has created a work that could enter the shelves of essential reading within political science.
It is a bold work, and perhaps the toughest read yet from Kaplan, but it delivers in what it...more This may indeed be Kaplan's most important piece of work yet, and that is not in any way to detract from his previous writings. Kaplan has a unique writing style, combining history with personal travel experience to create the impression that one is living the historical journey, however, with this work, Kaplan has created a work that could enter the shelves of essential reading within political science.
It is a bold work, and perhaps the toughest read yet from Kaplan, but it delivers in what it sets out to do, which is to elevate the reality of geography to the importance of other factors within the interactions between nations, such as military and economic power, civilization background and ideology.
The first part of the book is essentially a review of a body of work by 19th century theorists whose work is largely neglected in the present day. This can become tiring at time, but eventually, after laying down a clear theoretical framework, Kaplan takes us on a tour of present areas of strategic significance, and explains how geography will essentially be the determining factor in the world that is to come.
Anyone familiar with Kaplan's previous writings in Foreign Affairs will be aware of how he lays out the ultimate reaches of Chinese power, through both population expansion, economic investment, trade, and a map that is ultimately suited for Chinese domination. This mode of analysis is applied to various other locations, including Turkey, the Middle East, and the Indian Subcontinent.
Kaplan is in some ways a great disturber, as he brings to the fore the notion of borders which make no geographic sense, such as that between India and Pakistan, and the Afghan-Pakistan border. One really does get the sense that geography is the great decider.
Perhaps the most worrying chapter of all is the final chapter on the US-Mexican border. Mexico, as many will be aware, is on the verge of becoming a failed state. This, coupled with migration and population growth within the United States, creates what is in the long term, an existential dilemma for the US. This may sound familiar to anyone familiar with the writings of the late Samuel Huntington, but Kaplan is not quite as pessimistic as the late Harvard professor, suggesting that integration and trade will overcome ethnicity and language.
A trickier read than Kaplan's previous works, but a work that needs reading, and re-reading, and should (at least in the opinion of this reader) become an essential read on the syllabuses of all political science faculties.(less)

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Apr 18, 2013 Peter Mcloughlin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, nukes-and-apocalypse, politics, warfare

This book brings back an area of study neglected in the late twentieth century geography. At the begining of the 20th century it was a thriving field and even though its practicioners may have overestimated its importance it was rather prescient. The study of geography and power and threat analysis of all the worlds powers sheds a light on the current situation. It also gives contours of world politics and national interests of major powers. This kind of analysis might give policy makers a clue...more

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Jan 27, 2013 Filip rated it 3 of 5 stars

The discipline of Geopolitics had become tainted after totalitarian regimes in the 20th century had made it the basis of their foreign policies. Kaplan dusts it off, incorporates new viewpoints (Huntington, amongst others) and presents new geopolitical insights for the 21st century.
It is probably inevitable that a book of this scope will contain some regrettable cultural generalisations and lack of nuance. The analysis of China's geopolitics was the most revelatory, whereas the chapters on the...more

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May 04, 2013 Andrew rated it 3 of 5 stars

First off, if I get to come back in another lifetime, I want to be Robert Kaplan. He's one of my heroes. This book is a bit of a mixed reading. The first part is tough going as he pays homage to the original theories and prominent thinkers of geopolitics. The rest of the book flows back into typical Kaplan writing and insight into the modern world.
It's not his most accessible book for a first-time reader, the first part being very academic. I'd almost suggest skipping it and reading the last tw...more

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Feb 18, 2013 Valerie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-14-washington, essays-memoirs, histories

My second Kaplan book, and I am already a huge fan. Kaplan's thoughtful, scholarly style is exactly my cup of tea. The premise, arguing for the ongoing importance of geography despite technology, could be simplistically rendered in less thoughtful hands. But this book is really an apology, for Kaplan argued for the invasion of Iraq (a war I was entirely and utterly opposed to), and is now making the case that an examination of geography, while not rigidly determinative of a nations fate, should...more

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About Robert D. Kaplan

Robert David Kaplan is an American journalist, currently a National Correspondent for the Atlantic Monthly. His writings have also been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The New Republic, The National Interest, Foreign Affairs and The Wall Street Journal, among other newspapers and publications, and his more controversial essays about the nature of U.S. power have spurred debate...more

More about Robert D. Kaplan...

Books by Robert D. Kaplan

Balkan Ghosts: A Journey Through History

The Ends of the Earth: A Journey to the Frontiers of Anarchy

Imperial Grunts: On the Ground with the American Military, from Mongolia to the Philippines to Iraq and Beyond

Eastward to Tartary: Travels in the Balkans, the Middle East, and the Caucasus

Monsoon: The Indian Ocean and the Future of American Power

More…

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title link	preview: The Revenge of Geography: What the Map Tells Us About Coming Conflicts and the Battle Against Fate
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13330422-the-revenge-of-geography?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1350426690l/13330422.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13330422-the-revenge-of-geography?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Revenge of Geography: What the Map Tells Us About Coming Conflicts and the Battle Against Fate by Robert D. Kaplan[/url]

The Revenge of Geography: What the Map Tells Us About Coming Conflicts and the Battle Against Fate

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