David J. Smith — he of mapping.com — has a review in tomorrow’s Christian Science Monitor of former National Geographic Society editor Harm de Blij’s new book, Why Geography Matters, which apparently is an apologia for geography, geographic and cartographic literacy, and teaching geography, both in general and in the context of new global threats. From the review: “Climate change, terrorism, and massive population shifts cannot be fully grasped without a grounding in geography that US students are not currently getting, he contends.” Funny, I would have said the same thing about history.

• Buy Why Geography Matters at Amazon.com