Shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year 2019 / Shortlisted for Children's Travel Book of the Year, Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards 2020; How did the USA become a superpower?; Why do people go to war?; And why are some countries rich while others are so poor?; Find the answers to these questions and many more in this eye-opening book, which uses maps to explain how geography has shaped the history of our world. Discover how the choices of world leaders are swayed by mountains, rivers and seas - and why geography means that history is always repeating itself. This remarkable, unique introduction to world affairs will inspire curious minds everywhere.; A stunning abridged and illustrated edition of the international bestseller Prisoners of Geography, by acclaimed author Tim Marshall.; PRAISE FOR THE ORIGINAL EDITION OF PRISONERS OF GEOGRAPHY:; "Quite simply, one of the best books about geopolitics you could imagine: reading it is like having a light shone on your understanding... Marshall is clear-headed, lucid and possessed of an almost uncanny ability to make the broad picture accessible and coherent ... the book is, in a way which astonished me, given the complexities of the subject, unputdownable... I can't think of another book that explains the world situation so well" -- Nicholas Lezard, Evening Standard; "A fresh way of looking at maps... as guideposts to the often thorny relations between nations " -- New York Times