On how literature can be useful to geography: reflections arising from the reading of a book

Abstract

This is the message conveyed by this excellent book, which brings together thirteen original essays, all of which share a common aim: to revalue the role of literature as a means of exploring the relationships between humans and their environment. Nevertheless, this is not the first attempt by humanistic geographers in this direction. The works of SEAMON (1976), LLOYD (1977), POCOCK (1978 and 1979), and TUAN (1978 and 1980) stand out as some of the most notable precedents.

Although this article focuses exclusively on the commentary of the book Humanistic Geography and Literature, it seeks to contribute to a much broader goal: fostering a favorable outlook towards incorporating new approaches -in this case, literature- into our educational system for understanding and engaging with the «lived» and «felt» spatial reality.