This market-leading book introduces college students to the breadth and spatial insights of the field of geography. The authors' approach allows the major research traditions of geography to dictate the principal themes. Chapter 1 introduces students to the four organizing traditions that have emerged through the long history of geographical thought and writing: earth science, culture-environment, location, and area analysis. Each of the four parts of this book centers on one of these geographic perspectives. With the CourseSmart eTextbook version of this title, students can save up to 50% off the cost of a print book, reduce their impact on the environment, and access powerful web tools for learning. Faculty can also review and compare the full text online without having to wait for a print desk copy. CourseSmart is an online eTextbook, which means users need to be connected to the internet in order to access. Students can also print sections of the book for maximum portability.