The Interpretation of Ordinary Landscapes: Geographical Essays

by D.W. Meinig (Editor)

The study of the cultural meaning of landscapes is of increasing interest in several fields. This book attempts to open up the subject to a wider audience, and is the first to deal with the basic principles of reading the landscape'.

Genres: History, Essays, Nonfiction, Architecture, Philosophy, Environment, Ecology

Paperback

First published June 7, 1979

About the author

Donald William Meinig was an American geographer who made influential contributions to historical, regional, and cultural geography, and who served for decades as Maxwell Research Professor of Geography at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Educated at Georgetown University and the University of Washington, he began his academic career at the University of Utah before holding a Fulbright position at the University of Adelaide in 1958, later joining Syracuse University in 1960, where he remained until his retirement in 2004. At Syracuse, he chaired the geography department, trained more than twenty doctoral students, and helped shape the Maxwell School. His scholarship reflected both western American and national themes, producing pioneering studies on the Mormon cultural region, Texas, and the Southwest, while his most ambitious work was the four-volume The Shaping of America, published over nearly two decades, offering a sweeping interpretation of the nation’s geographic development. He also collaborated with his former student John Garver on thematic regional maps for the National Geographic Society, reaching millions of readers. Meinig’s honors included Fulbright and Guggenheim fellowships, the Charles P. Daly Medal of the American Geographical Society, and election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the British Academy. His work combined rigorous scholarship with literary sensibility, leaving a lasting impact on geography.

Reviews

[Brandon Baggett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly did not know what to expect with this required reading for one of my classes, but I was really blown away by the thought-provoking ideas that it presented throughout the collection of essays. After reading this book, I am thoroughly convinced that people probably viewed something different than I did because that was the reoccurring theme of reading and interpreting landscapes in general. I saw it as a direct challenge to the personal biases that we all bring to the table as the essays invited us to think of things from a different perspective.

The final essay seemed to wrap things up nicely with an idea that I love: "[B]ecause landscape is a reflection of society, if we wish to change the landscape for the better we will have to change the society which created it" (229). Overall, I definitely recommend this to anyone who would like a little help in viewing the world in new ways in an attempt to understand people who are different than us.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever think about why strip malls are important or how the house on wheels evolved? How about the modern hotrodder/traveler who experiences the american west at 60+ mph? Funny, ironic and perplexing. Awesome, but not for everyone.

[Bojan Fürst · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was going to say that every geographer should read this book. But really... Everybody should read this book.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has such fascinating rubrics for thinking about landscapes of all kinds. Yes, it's dated and overwhelmingly white and male, and the blinders of some of the authors included is rather stunning, but it was the 1970s. And the overall paradigm of this book is extremely useful. (In my case, for thinking about how to write effectively about PLACE.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

This classic collection of essays enriched my understanding of cultural geography.

[steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting. foundational. but sometimes dry. i think maybe we need something more contemporary on this subject.