Introduction to Geography : People, Places, and Environment

More than any other, this up-to-the-minute book is dedicated to helping readers understand the world around them. The authors introduce the major tools, techniques, and methodological approaches of geography, and present a wide range of positions currently debated about provocative current issues. Weaves the theme of human-environmental interaction throughout. Demonstrates applications of GIS and GPS in physical geography - includes urban planning, registration of urban and rural landholding, farming techniques. Covers the aging of the human population, and the different ramifications of this fact in rich and poor countries. Expands discussion of Islam, church and state in Islam - includes relations between church and state in various religions. Discusses Islam in Europe and its cultural, religious, and political impact. Covers the spread of Islamic Sharia law across North Africa, the Near East, and Indonesia. An interesting reference for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of major world issues.

Edward F. Bergman stands beside the stone wall that is the very eastern edge of the North American tectonic plate, where it is exposed in Iceland. Professor Bergman was born in Wisconsin and studied at the University of Wisconsin (Madison), the University of Vienna (Austria), and the University of Washington in Seattle. Today he teaches at Lehman College of the City University of New York and lectures widely across several continents. When not lecturing or writing, he enjoys Manhattan's cultural and social life.

William H. Renwick earned a B.A. from Rhode Island College in 1973 and a Ph.D. in geography from Clark University in 1979. He has taught at the University of California, Los Angeles, and Rutgers University, and is currently Associate Professor of Geography at Miami University. A physical geographer with interests in geomorphology and environmental issues, his research focuses on impacts of land-use change on rivers and lakes, particularly in agricultural landscapes in the Midwest. When time permits, he studies these environments from the seat of a wooden canoe.