Book excerpt: These essays trace the evolution of British geography as an academic discipline during the last hundred years, and stress how the study of the world we live in is fundamental to an understanding of its problems and concerns. Never before has such an ambitious and wide-ranging review been attempted, and never before has it been done with so much knowledge and passion. The principal themes covered in this volume are those of environment, place and space, and the applied geography of map-making and planning. The volume also addresses specific issues such as disease, urbanization, regional viability, and ethics and social problems. This lively and accessible work offers many insights into the minds and practices of today's geographers.