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How the States Got Their Shapes | 
 enlarge | Author: Mark Stein
Publisher: Collins
Category: Book
List Price: $22.95
Buy New: $14.15
You Save: $8.80 (38%)
New (37) Used (11) from $12.49
Avg. Customer Rating:  35 reviews
Sales Rank: 561
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 352
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 5.8 x 1.3
ISBN: 0061431389
Dewey Decimal Number: 917.3
EAN: 9780061431388
Publication Date: June 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: BRAND NEW
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Product Description
Why does Oklahoma have that panhandle? Did someone make a mistake? We are so familiar with the map of the United States that our state borders seem as much a part of nature as mountains and rivers. Even the oddities—the entire state of Maryland(!)—have become so engrained that our map might as well be a giant jigsaw puzzle designed by Divine Providence. But that's where the real mystery begins. Every edge of the familiar wooden jigsaw pieces of our childhood represents a revealing moment of history and of, well, humans drawing lines in the sand. How the States Got Their Shapes is the first book to tackle why our state lines are where they are. Here are the stories behind the stories, right down to the tiny northward jog at the eastern end of Tennessee and the teeny-tiny (and little known) parts of Delaware that are not attached to Delaware but to New Jersey. How the States Got Their Shapes examines: - Why West Virginia has a finger creeping up the side of Pennsylvania
- Why Michigan has an upper peninsula that isn't attached to Michigan
- Why some Hawaiian islands are not Hawaii
- Why Texas and California are so outsized, especially when so many Midwestern states are nearly identical in size
Packed with fun oddities and trivia, this entertaining guide also reveals the major fault lines of American history, from ideological intrigues and religious intolerance to major territorial acquisitions. Adding the fresh lens of local geographic disputes, military skirmishes, and land grabs, Mark Stein shows how the seemingly haphazard puzzle pieces of our nation fit together perfectly.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 30 more reviews...
 It was not a drunken cartographer after all. June 7, 2008
47 out of 49 found this review helpful
I won't try to compete with the detailed review above. I just want to add that I have been wondering about the odd shapes of the states for years, and wishing for info on this topic.
I was thrilled to see that this book was finally available.
The book has surpassed my expectations. The details are fabulous. The ample maps fully illustrate the narrative.
Each state is explained. For example, why does Rhode Island have "island" in it's name? Buy the book and find out.
When I lived in Mobile, I puzzled for years over Alabama's "tab" at the south. My guess was that it had something to do with giving the state a gulf shoreline. (Maybe for condos?) I was wrong. It's all Florida's fault.
In short, this book is fascinating! Even if you think you're not interested, you will be. The arcane knowledge you learn will make you the star of any party, or a total bore.
I love it!
Enjoyable tidbits July 14, 2008
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
Driving though Northeastern PA, I often passed a historical marker describing that the area was CT in the mid-18th Century. So, when I saw this book, I purchased it initially so that I could learn more about this intriguing part of history. This book is enjoyable and informative and helps the reader make sense of aspects of American history. It is structured so that you can pick it up now and then and read various state histories when your time and inclination permit. Not only did I learn about PA and CT, Plymouth versus Massachusetts settlements, Jefferson's ideas, and various latitudes, but I was fascinated by the anti-Mormon and pro- silver and gold sentiments that created Nevada; why Alabama and Mississippi look like mirror images; the various notches in state borders, the importance of rivers, and so much more.
It Delivers! June 28, 2008
7 out of 8 found this review helpful
The contents of this book are well described in other reviews. My only addition is to say that, as a total geography buff with low tolerance for chintzy illustrations in books that purport to be on that topic, I was not disappointed at all. There are 179 illustrations (i.e., maps), showing the "geographic" development of each state. The maps contain just enough detail; any more would have expanded the size of the book beyond usefulness as a 50-state overview. Some reviewers have criticized the alphabetical organization of the book, which necessitates a fair amount of cross referencing to other chapters (e.g., "See Figure 153 in SOUTH DAKOTA"), and suggested that it be organized instead by region (Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, etc.). This is a fair criticism, but in the end I think it boils down to personal taste. A regional organization probably would have required reading lengthy exegeses of regional developments, which would have turned this into a history book. As it is, it is a complete, concise, and copious survey of the topic -- and a delightful read.
Thanks Mark Stein! August 23, 2008
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
It has always been a mystery to me how states wound up with the boundaries that they currently have. Of particular interest was my home state of Arkansas with the notch at the top and bottom corner along with the bent line on its western border with Arkansas. This book finally laid my questions to rest.
Rather than reading the book from front to back, I skipped around to the states I have lived in the past. My current home of Texas made riveting reading as I learned of the wars and disputes that defined the boundary. Particularly, why Oklahoma has a "panhandle".
The history and associated conflicts - especially those of the slave states - makes for a fantastic read. As an example, I enjoyed the way California basically told the federal government what they would and would not do. How things have changed!
The subject may sound a bit mundane to some but I can assure the potential reader that it is very interesting and provides well-researched facts that you will carry with you on your next road trip. Thanks Mark Stein. Michael L. Gooch, SPHR Author of Wingtips with Spurs
Shapes of States...Why is that border there? July 15, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I love this book! It is well-written in a straight forward yet interesting manner. I am sort of a map nut/geography/ history fanatic. We carry the book in the car to read when we are driving around and I plan to include the book in the resources for my social studies classes. It's a fun book to keep in a guest room or in the bathroom. The information about the creation of boundries is also useful in genealogy
research. I plan to give the book as a gift to many people.
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