Land: How the Hunger for Ownership Shaped the Modern World

"But this is no mere bathroom book packed with intriguing facts."

"Winchester is at his most entertaining in a chapter on the Polynesian pastime of riding waves on long wooden boards ..."

"Winchester, whose rigorously organized mind seems able to codify and categorize any human endeavor into sustained good reading, could easily have hopped from continent to continent, country to country, exploring each region's land relationships through the perfectly legitimate lenses of history, geology, governance, resources, economies and as many other parameters as made sense."

"The latest sweeping, satisfying popular history from the British American author and journalist ..."

"He touches on a vast number of topics that have impacted the land since the dawn of civilization, dividing the book into sections that focus on borders, ownership, stewardship, war and restoration ..."

"Land follows the path charted by its predecessors, gracefully blending history, science and an assortment of other disciplines to paint a multifaceted portrait ..."

"Winchester's large audience will enjoy this well-worded, interdisciplinary look into the relationship between humans and the land."

"Rather, it is to be savored, digested, enjoyed over a generous allocation of time."

"Winchester amasses a wealth of intriguing factoids and arcana, though readers looking for a comprehensive overview of the subject will be disappointed."