Modern Geography Part 10

Even these few examples may serve to suggest the point of view from which the modern geographer regards towns, and to ill.u.s.trate the fact that in this as in other branches of his subject his interest is in the study of causes and of interrelations.

NOTES ON BOOKS

Most of the subjects which have been treated in this book fall under the heading of physical geography, and therefore we may begin these notes by recommending two large works of reference on this subject. Salisbury's _Physiography_ (New York: Henry Holt & Co., 1907, $3.50 net) is the most comprehensive work on the subject in English. In French there is an admirable book by E. de Martonne, _Traite de Geographie Physique_ (Paris: Armand Colin, 1909, price 22 fr.), to be especially recommended for its beautiful plates and diagrams, and for its copious references.

For the subjects treated in the individual chapters the following, among others, may be consulted. Suess's book translated as _The Face of the Earth_ (Oxford: Clarendon Press, still in course of publication, price 4 net) is the cla.s.sical book on earth structure and relief, and has stimulated research enormously, but it is not easy to read. For climatology the cla.s.sical book is Hann's _Handbuch_, of which the general part has been translated by Ward as _Handbook of Climatology_ (New York: The Macmillan Co., 1903, price 12_s._ 6_d._). For plant geography reference should be made to Schimper's _Plant Geography_, translated by Fisher (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1903, price 42_s._ net), which is again the cla.s.sical treatise, and the basis of most of the later work. For the races of Europe we have in W. Z. Ripley's _Races of Europe_ (London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co., 1900, price 18_s._ net) a most interesting book, not difficult and full of most instructive diagrams. Another aspect of the same subject is treated in Sergi's _The Mediterranean Race_ (Contemporary Science Series, London: Walter Scott, 1901, price 6_s._), but this is very controversial in tone. For the work of ice, the most important book is _Die Alpen im Eiszeitalter_ by A.

Penck and G. Bruckner (Leipzig: Tauchnitz, 1909, price 55 marks), but the line of reasoning followed in it does not convince all geographers, and the subject is still fiercely debated.

Turning now to more general aspects of the subject we have in _The International Geography_, edited by H. R. Mill, and written by many authors (now published by Macmillan, London--new edition 1907, price 12_s._ net; also published in parts for school use), a most comprehensive and authoritative work, which includes the whole globe in its survey, and has also general chapters on various aspects of geography. It is, however, a difficult book, intended for study rather than for general reading, and is very much condensed. A book which, though dealing only with a very limited region, yet contrives in discussing that area to give the essentials of modern geographical science, is Mackinder's _Britain and the British Seas_ (second edition.

1907. Oxford: Clarendon Press, price 7_s._ 6_d._).

It should be in all geographical libraries.

As commercial geography is one of the sides from which geography appeals most strongly to the general reader, we may note that the cla.s.sic is G.

G. Chisholm's _Handbook of Commercial Geography_ (New York: Longmans, Green & Co., price $4.80 net). First published in 1889 it is brought up to date in successive editions, and is full of interest for the general public as well as for the geographer. In the same connection we may note J. G. Bartholomew's admirable _Atlas of the World's Commerce_ (London: George Newnes, 1907, price 10_s._ 6_d._), which is of great a.s.sistance in studying the subject owing to its very clear maps and diagrams. A smaller and cheaper work by the same author is _A School Economic Atlas_ (Oxford: University Press, 1910, price 2_s._ 6_d._ net).

There are an enormous number of small books on geographical subjects, for these as well as for others reference may be made to a useful little volume called _Guide to Geographical Books and Appliances_, which is compiled by members of the Geographical a.s.sociation (London: Geo.

Philip, 1910, price 5_s._). This is especially intended for teachers, but gives full descriptions, with critical notes, of a great number of books. To the list given there we may add one book which, though intended for school use, may be noted as containing a great deal of information of the kind which is just beginning to find its way into the smaller text-books. This is Unstead and Taylor's _General and Regional Geography for Students_ (London: Geo. Philip, 1910, price 6_s._). An excellent practical book is Simmons and Richardson's _Introduction to Practical Geography_ (New York: The Macmillan Co., 1907, price 90 cts.).

Finally, we may note that the _Geographical Journal_, published monthly by the Royal Geographical Society in London, and the _Scottish Geographical Magazine_, published monthly by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society in Edinburgh, both give reviews and accounts of all important geographical books, as they appear, with abstracts of important articles and papers, as well as publis.h.i.+ng original papers.

Both are obtainable at most libraries.