The Trivia Lover's Guide to Even More of the World

Geography for the Global Generation

By (author) Gary Fuller

Publication date:

01 August 2015

Length of book:

224 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

ISBN-13: 9781442235656

Gary Fuller’s entertaining and informative guide uses geographic trivia questions as a springboard to learning about non-trivial aspects of our globe. An enlightening book for all readers, it enhances geographic know-how with good, old-fashioned fun. Discover who named the kangaroo; where can you find Lakers and Salties; what chili peppers, pineapple, chocolate, and vanilla have in common; where Shangri La was; and who was the most successful pirate in the Caribbean.

An inveterate traveler and geographer extraordinaire, Fuller provides extensive background, engaging maps and photos, and thorough explanations for each intriguing trivia question. Challenging today’s global generation to truly get to know their world, his book is a delight to read and an essential antidote to our lack of geographical knowledge.

List of Maps
Acknowledgments
Introduction
11 Geographic Ignorance Still Prevails
12 Why Can My Students Find Australia on a Map?
13 Place Names: Pronunciations and Translations
14 Borders and Boundaries
15 Islands
16 Battles
17 Airports
18 The British Empire
19 Missionaries: Agents of Geographical Change
10 Nearest Neighbors
11 Explorers Rescued from Oblivion
12 Diseases
13 Population Density
14 Fleets
15 Spice Seekers
16 Principal (Rare) Products
17 Pirates
18 Imaginary/Mythical/Legendary Places
19 Deep in the Heart of . . .
20 World Population
21 Other Populations
22 Dangerous Watery Places
23 Forced Migration
24 Forbidden Places
25 Earthquakes and Tsunamis
26 Extreme Points
27 Minerals and Mines
28 Landscapes of Fear
Index
About the Author

Maps
The Lost Squadron in Greenland
Cook’s Voyage in Endeavour
Classical Place Name Belt
Mexico and Texas
Andesite Line
Cuba and Tarawa Superimposed on the United States
European Battle Sites
Source of the Nile
California Missions
Palk Strait
Germany 1871–1945
Shackleton’s 1914 Expedition
Bering’s Voyages
Da Gama’s and Magellan’s Voyages
Barbary Coast Realm
Geographic Centers of the United States
Mouth of the Columbia River
Skagerrak and the Battle of Jutland
Salvation Islands
Radcliffe Line
North Brother Island
Mount Chimborazo
Point Nemo
Marcellus Shale
Range of Sleeping Sickness
Llano Estacado

It is, unfortunately, an oft repeated (and probably true) maxim that most Americans are woefully ignorant about the geography of both their own country and the wider world. Fuller taught geography at the University of Hawaii for 35 years and is also a former winning contestant on the game show Jeopardy. Using a game-show format and trivia questions, Fuller goes beyond short answers to expound on a wide variety of geographic topics that provide enjoyment and enhanced knowledge to general readers hoping to fill in the gaps in their understanding of the world. The chapters are arranged around particular themes, which include state capitals, the why and where of various cities, and the links between religion and geography. Readers can learn why many state capitals were built away from large cities, or which nations, surprisingly, can expect population decline. Although the uninformed will benefit most, even those who consider themselves knowledgeable can enjoy the tidbits in this breezy, informative work.