Trivia Lover's Guide to the World

Gary Fuller taught at the University of Hawai‘i for thirty-five years before broadening his scope to lecture aboard cruise ships. A former winning contestant on the TV program Jeopardy! and a seasoned world traveler, Fuller is eminently qualified to educate as he entertains. He currently resides in Kailua, Hawai‘i.

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.

• Chapter 1: The Effects of Geographic Ignorance on the Modern WorldChapter 2: We Think Big, Sometimes Too BigChapter 3: Maps are Flat, the World Isn’tChapter 4: Africa Bashing? What’s That?Chapter 5: Things Aren’t Always Where You Think They Should BeChapter 6: State Capitals and American PoliticsChapter 7: The Exception to EverythingChapter 8: Married to a StrangerChapter 9: Why Old Maps Look FunnyChapter 10: Military Uses of GeographyChapter 11: Really Big CitiesChapter 12: Agriculture and TourismChapter 13: Geography and TourismChapter 14: Geographic Pockets of Isolation: Preserving Old WaysChapter 15: Geographic IncoherenceChapter 16: Countries Breaking ApartChapter 17: Unity in DisunityChapter 18: Maps Fool Us Again!Chapter 19: Culture Hearths: Ancient and ModernChapter 20: Population Decline: Change on the HorizonChapter 21: Geographic Differences and Civil WarChapter 22: New Agricultural CropsChapter 23: DomesticationsChapter 24: Continental TidbitsChapter 25: Islands DividedChapter 26: Oceans and SeasChapter 27: BridgesChapter 28: RiversChapter 29: Medical GeographyChapter 30: Border IssuesChapter 31: Geography of SportsChapter 32: Geography and ReligionChapter 33: The NorthChapter 34: Prison IslandsChapter 35: CanalsChapter 36: Land and Sea BattlesChapter 37: BuildingsChapter 38: Mountain PeaksChapter 39: LakesChapter 40: OutliersChapter 41: Cities: Planned and FiatChapter 42: Whatever Happened to . . . ?Chapter 43: The Wild WestChapter 44: Spatial DiffusionChapter 45: ParksChapter 46: Climate and Weather