Cultural Geography Blog

A cross-posting from my GeoLibrary blog which has hundreds of books recommended and with some information about where they might be used, and why they deserve a shelf on the GeoLibrary. This book is on the Booker longlist . It's a fiction book, but is packed with geography. It's about four astronauts and two cosmonauts in the International Space Station. The author said of the book that she wanted to write a 'space pastoral' The book follows one day, and the orbits they trace over the world. In between their routine jobs and exercise, we hear about them and their families and their thoughts as they stare down on the earth below - tracking the path of a super-typhoon with their privileged view of the world below. There are some truly wonderful passages, and it's definitely a geography book. The descriptions of each landscape and country as they appear are really beautiful. The section here is part of a chapter - they are all very short and this helps you subdivide t...

You wait ages for an album about Amelia Earhart and then two come along at once. The new album from Public Service Broadcasting: "The Last Flight"  comes out in early October and some tracks are already out. I'm looking forward to seeing some of them being played at the end of October. Meanwhile Laurie Anderson has released her own version of that last flight and it's very different to the PSB one, and excellent. It's the usual mix of recordings, sound and vocal effects and electronic music, and is a lot more accessible than some of Laurie Anderson's work. Available on the usual streaming services.

Spotify leads me to all sorts of new places musically. Through a series of links, I came across a 'genre' of electronic / ambient music linked to place... Here's a description of one of my discoveries: Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan 's new album, Your Community Hub, compellingly continues his sonic exploration of the New Towns movement. The issues the councillors, planners, and architects set out to solve still resound and echo throughout society. For the latest instalment in this unique project, Gordon Chapman-Fox turns his laser eye to focus on Community and the Community Centres that populated Warrington and Runcorn in order to provide all the facilities people needed within a five minute walk from their home. These planning ideas predated the current discussions of fifteen minute cities by fifty years. Those intervening years have seen a decline in our community centres and services: handy access to a GP or dentist, Post Offices, youth clubs, local sh...

  I was sorry to hear this evening of the passing of Norman Ackroyd on Monday: one of our very greatest landscape artists. He was a remarkable printmaker and artist . He shared the laborious process of making his etchings in several documentaries. Listen to this programme with Robert MacFarlane. RIP the great artist Norman Ackroyd (1938-16.09.24): etcher-magician who conjured weather & light from metal & acid; his work constitutes one of the great visual records of this archipelago’s edges. We travelled together—& I made this programme with him: https://t.co/Y5licHxpcP pic.twitter.com/8bQDR95Fph — Robert Macfarlane (@RobGMacfarlane) September 18, 2024 Here's the first part of a documentary on his method featuring some of his art...

This piece of music is important to me... 

A new(ish) resource which can be accessed and used by members of the Geographical Association. I am considering adding a section of this to my teaching this year. Sycamore Gap is a significant landmark in Northumberland where three distinct features combined: a natural and dramatic dip in the physical landscape about halfway along the 80-mile run of Hadrian’s Wall, itself an ancient monument and reminder of the power of the Roman Empire, and until recently, a lone, 300-year-old Sycamore tree. The site has UNESCO designation and is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. Arguably, it will still be known as Sycamore Gap because of its story. The tree has stood for hundreds of years, perfectly framed by the landscape, thrilling locals and visitors alike until it was deliberately cut down, under cover of darkness, sometime between the evening of 27 September 2023 and the following morning.  The loss of the tree has caused an outcry and reaction of public grief. These materials are designed to ...

The Max Richter album ' Sleep' is one that I've listened to many times. His new one is always going to appeal to my inner geographer as it is called 'In a Landscape'. I can also confirm that it is excellent and relaxing and an excellent soundtrack for a few hours spent writing.

I've just finalised the plans for a session for GCSE and 'A' Level teachers and students later this month as part of the programme of events offered by the GA Gloucester Branch. It's an upate of a session I created for the GA Oxford Branch last year. I explore some of the ways that teachers and students can research case studies they need to remember for exams to make them come to life a little more, and ensure they are a little more authentic, contemporary and relevant, as well as memorable for the exam when it comes to revising. Why not sign up? This will be one of my Worldly Wednesdays....

  I spent two days last week at Rayburn Tours' HQ in Derby. I work as a Field Studies Tutor (FST) for Rayburn, and go out twice a year or so to help students and teachers interpret the amazing landscape and culture of Iceland. After some delay because of COVID etc., the company was keen to gather us all together to meet each other face to face and allow us to meet and take us through some updates that would help us with our work. One of the sessions that we had as a group of Field Study Tutors was from Dr. Rhian Meara. Rhian has been researching the story of Heimaey , and the eruption that took place in 1973. Most papers and stories refer to the eruption and have a series of bullet points 'telling the story' except they miss out the 'actual' stories of those who experienced it, many of whom still live on the island. A series of papers have either been published or are being prepared for publication by Rhian. You can also hear Rhian talking along with Cath Rule and R...