Seriously Curious

May 2020
Overall verdict: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
To buy this book, click here.

Why this book?
If you follow me on Twitter, you’ll know that I’m rather a fan of The Economist- both as a magazine and as a podcast. Some may even say that I promote it quite a lot… this is because, quite simply, it is an ineffable resource for any geography teacher (and A-Level student!). I love the global coverage of the Economist; coverage that is so vast in scope that it never fails to quench my intellectual curiosity. I bought this book as a Christmas present for a member of my family and then predictably stole it and could not put it down! In summary, it does what you come to expect of any publication from the Economist: it answers questions that you didn’t know you had.

For students:
You’ve studied coastal processes and the issue of coastal erosion but have you ever considered that there is a global shortage of sand?
You’ve studied climate change and carbon emissions from food and agriculture but have you thought critically about food packaging and why it may be in fact good?
You’ve studied development and NGO bottom-up projects to improve quality of life but have considered why this may not be enough in some countries?

The short chapters of this book dive more deeply into many of the issues and challenges that we contemplate in geography and seeks to explain why they occur. Beyond geography, if you’re thinking of doing an Extended Project, many of these chapters would provide incredibly interesting ideas and areas to look into further.

I’d recommend ‘Seriously Curious’ to anyone who is seriously curious about finding out more about the world around them…

For teachers:
This book is compiled of short chapters that each address one issue or question facing our planet. A quick glance at the list below will demonstrate the value of this book for any geography teacher! Whilst these are my ‘top picks’ of the chapters most relatable to our subject, the entire book is interesting and informative- you won’t regret picking it up.

Why there is a shortage of sand?
Why is the sea salty?
Move over, oil. Which countries have the most lithium?
Why food packaging is good for the environment
Why is China rebuilding the old silk road?
Wealth inequality has been increasing since the stone age
How China reduced its air pollution
Why it is so hard to fix India’s sanitation problems?
Why Papua New Guinea has so many languages
How language is bound up with national identity
How St Patrick’s Day celebrations went global

My next task is to embed some of these extracts and chapters into my teaching- particularly at A-Level… I’ll add it to the to do list…
To buy this book, click here.