Frank Peter Slotkus John H. Hamline Elementary School

When I read Carl Abbott's Political Terrain: Washington D.C., I instantly recognized the immense value of this painstakingly researched book. I shuddered to think of all the dust Abbott must have encountered while investigating for this project. Abbott's stated purpose is to further an understanding of "the historical processes that have been involved in the construction and interaction of American regions and networks" (5). The author succeeds in this endeavor while doing so much more. One of the most notable triumphs of this book has proven to be Abbott's ability to not only illustrate Washington's ever changing role as the nation's capitol, but to also offer information on the function of other American cities concerning the national landscape.

Throughout Abbott's work, he acquaints the reader with concepts that are so important for the historian to possess in order to formulate a better understanding about the workings of regions and their cultural centers. For example, Abbott outlines how cultural ideas are spread. He informs the reader about sociological concepts such as cores, zones, and soft borderlands as they relate to the spread of culture. This information allows the reader to understand Washington, but at the same time inspires ideas about how their region developed its current role within these United States.

Abbott's knowledge of geography further aids the reader in understanding Washington D.C. The author points out many of the geographical features that have led to the development of Washington. His primary sources often come in the form of maps. Abbott, a master historian, implements maps to demonstrate his theory that Washington was originally conceived as a tidewater town, but he is also careful to remind the reader about some of the biases that cartographers often succumb to. He illustrates this point when he shows his audience an early, inaccurate map that symbolizes Washington as a rose whose stem is formed by the Potomac. This example is typical of Abbott's work. He often goes the extra mile to insure that novice readers, or even the more experienced historians, are in complete understanding of the statement he is attempting to make.

The most entertaining aspect of this book was the different types of sources that Abbott used to complete his research. For example, to determine the importance of Washington in the global affairs of the late twentieth century, Abbot used a local Washington telephone directory to inquire about how many Washington businesses incorporate adjectives such as Atlantic, midstates, eastern, and southern into their titles. He found that there were more listings that were international in nature. As is the case here, Abbott's most enduring legacy is his ability to pull information from the most unlikely sources. What struck me most about this work is its masterful use of the many tools associated with the art of historical detection. Abbott has used immense amounts of evidence in describing the history of Washington D.C. This book is a valuable "how to" reference for anyone hoping to seriously explore the historical issues of any topic in the same thorough manner in which Abbott dealt with our nation's capitol.

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