Look around you. The public spaces, the people who share your commute, even the rain you just walked home in. So much of it can be brought back to what Geography can teach us.

It might be human geography that draws you in with its tales of foreign cultures, travel and adventure. This branch of geography tackles the big questions of cultural identity, the logistics of mass migration and population evolution, while at the same time taking you down the endlessly intriguing rabbit holes of the banal; why does my morning coffee cost more in one area than another, how do local councils decide whether to build a public park or a carpark? If you’ve ever wanted to know more about the ways in which humans relate to the spaces around them and the people who populate them, human geography is sure to be right up your street.

Or perhaps it’s physical and environmental geography that lights your fire. If you’re a nature lover, insights provided by the study of physical geography into the land structures that surround us, and continue to shape our everyday experience, won’t fail to dazzle you. The ways in which we interact with the Earth, our historic battles with it and our repeated failure to tame it have led to the urgent climate crisis in which we find ourselves today. An understanding of our planet and its physical nuances is vital if we are to build a healthier, kinder relationship with it.

So, if you’re eager to learn more about Geography and the many-layered stories it has to tell us, here are our recommendations to help you get started.

Book: Prisoners of Geography, 2015, by Tim Marshall

Britain is an island. Russia has abundant natural gas and oil resources. India and China are cut off from each other by the Himalayas. Cold hard facts of the Earth’s physical structure, such as these, have shaped world affairs in powerful ways. Whether they have protected us from the worst of our human instincts - like war and colonisation - or backed us into dangerous corners and allowed us to carry out terrible acts of mass violence, we simply can’t ignore their ongoing influence in how we function as a civilisation.

In Prisoners of Geography, Tim Marshall gives us a tour of the Earth’s expanse, providing a fascinating look at how physical geography has affected the course of human history. He examines the consequences of spatial reality on both a domestic and international level, discussing the ways in which global politics collides with the limitations and freedoms that land structures have imposed on us. Its numerous tales of countries’ struggles against the hand they have been dealt makes this book a highly addictive read, and one that will hammer home the inescapable role that geography plays in our lives.

Film: Samsara, 2011

Samsara is an unconventional film in that it opts out of narrative and dialogue, and yet succeeds in captivating its audience from start to finish. Using footage from 25 countries, this unique documentary assembles a montage of images representing the most extreme and beautiful realities that exist on planet Earth, both naturally occurring and entirely manmade.

While its subject matter is not exclusively devoted to geographical concerns, as it explores art, music and all facets of culture in parallel, Samsara harnesses the limitless curiosity of every geographer. Its willingness to explore every corner of our rich and beautiful planet syncs up with that of your average geography enthusiast, and will have you itching to go out and experience everything the world has to offer.

Podcast: Isn’t That Spatial?

Isn’t That Spatial has an excellent archive of content covering all manner of geography-related topics. If you’ve ever wondered how you can tell when an area’s on the point of being gentrified or why Americans give their children such unique names, this is the podcast for you.

Isn’t That Spatial aims to equip listeners with the tools to understand the conversations that are happening around us all the time. It shows us that, even if discussions within the media or on the political stage don’t seem to be overtly geographical, looking at them through a geographer's lens can provide powerful insights, reminding us just how many central societal issues come down to space and our placement within it. Download a few of these short but fascinating episodes for your commute and get off the tube that bit more informed.

Useful Websites

Geography Revision - Geography Revision offers revision resources on A-Level and GCSE Geography topics with a heavy focus on exam boards. Perfect for getting organised quickly.

Time For Geography - For the visual learners among you, Time for Geography provides video content and breakdowns of the questions today’s geographers are grappling with, both locally and on are larger scale.

Geography Directions - Geography Directions is less study-focused than a general resource for the curious geography enthusiast. Be sure to check back regularly for the latest updates on developments in physical and human geography.