Reading Prisoners of Geography changed my perspective on why the world is how it is. This may sound confusing; however, this book explains why certain countries in the world are bound to have success, while other countries are bound to be politically unstable and in constant turmoil.
Tim Marshall is a British reporter and journalist who works for BBC. Throughout his career, he has visited many different countries, and seen plenty of political situations. He has learned how natural resources, geography, physical topography, etc. influence the way countries and leaders operate. Marshall explains why it is almost inevitable certain things happened in the past, and why they will continue to happen in the future.
A couple of topics Marshall discusses include: why the US was destined to succeed, why Russia and Putin are continually trying to expand its power (i.e why they need to control Ukraine, Crimea, etc.), and why China will continue to grow and expand. He brings a unique perspective to explain these phenomenons, and they make sense once you fully understand world geography and how natural resources are distributed.
Overall, I gained a newfound understanding about why certain countries always seem to struggle, while others are always succeeding. It may seem like some countries just continually have terrible or great people, but this is a very simplified view. The situation is much more complex, and Marshall does a great job explaining all the small details.
Prisoners of Geography Recommendation Rating: 3
1: Something worth checking out if you have time
2: Something that is a hit for some people, but not a must for everyone
3: Something worth prioritizing if interested
4: Something worth making time to check out
5: An absolute home run, worth going out of your way for
Ro's Recz 
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