Having loved Prisoners of Geography, it was exciting to read this follow-up by experienced journalist Tim Marshall. In both works he asserts that political courses of action are significantly dictated by geographical considerations. I concur. Such a view is not deterministic; more a pragmatic recognition of practical realities. The Power differs slightly from its predecessor in being more focused on countries rather than continents, also pondering secession scenarios in both the UK and Spain. Separately I like the growing attention Marshall pays to environmental politics (i.e. water shortages and the shift away from an oil-based world). On the downside, the tone taken by Marshall here was decidedly more populist in parts than in The Politics. Nonetheless, increasing awareness of geographical considerations can surely only be a good thing. N/R.
By Tim Marshall