false 3090529 0061431389 9780061431388 246 125 http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3090529.How_the_States_Got_Their_Shapes 2909664 Mark Stein 248 126 3 1 false Wed Jan 07 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Wed Jan 07 20:15:59 -0800 2009 Wed Jan 07 20:28:24 -0800 2009
If, however, despite all that is written above you find repetitveness, poor organization, and failed attempts at grandiose statements and/or humor, perhaps you should pass. This was a pretty poorly written book. It was organized alphabetically rather than regionally or chronologically, and thus you get stuck with identical statements hundreds of pages apart. In addition, due to a lack of desire for error I would imagine, you get constantly referred back to sections that you have read (or will read) without the aid of page numbers. There are several typos including the whopper of a mislabeled map that indicates almost the opposite of what it is trying to say.

So, if I were rating this on style or flow, it would get one star or less. But I am the sort that finds random facts interesting, and there are a lot of interesting facts about the shape of states. New Jersey is the owner of any area on Ellis Island that was filled in by landfill? Delaware has a half circle for its upper border? Maryland never, ever gets its way? And the fact that each state is 5 pages or less allows you to be more forgiving of the writing style as it is a discrete unit rather than an entire work you have to consider.

Recommended for any fact-obsessed person and/or geography nerd. And not recommended for pretty much anyone else, aside from perhaps reading about your home state. And here's a random fact not about the content of the book: the author wrote the screenplay to the film "Housesitter" starring Goldie Hawn and Steve Martin. This was considered important enought to mention on the book jacket. That about says everything.]]>