The writing is crisp, clear, and precise. . . . The book is generously illustrated. . . . It is truly a comprehensive look at the historical geography of the United States between two covers. Yet, at the same time the detailed bibliography is well-suited for anyone needing a primer on the major historical regions in the United States. . . . Nostrand’s attention to detail and keen insight are revealed in every chapter of the book; he is a master at blending history and geography. . . . An outstanding example of regional geography.

AAG Review of Books

The new maps alone make the volume worthwhile and vital for teaching. . . . The book is a superb guide for anyone wanting to understand the development of the country’s regional diversity and how features of the cultural landscape created long ago have persisted in the present.

Journal of Historical Geography

A restatement of the book’s three themes for cultural regions, that is, cultural ecology, cultural diffusion, and cultural landscapes, concludes the book with a brief discussion of their six underlying influences, that is, physical barriers, resource management, uneven advance, pluralistic society, geographic persistence, and regions versus homelands. These would merit such lengthy explanations as to exceed the limits of this review. Hence, they are worth the readers’ further attention. Nostrand’s specialization on the United States’ historical geography throughout his teaching career will most especially benefit the general readers due to his gift in this likely culmination.

Journal of the West

Nostrand’s regional portrait of the United States is a joy to read. It is highly accessible and an ideal text in an undergraduate historical geography course or for those new to the regional approach to geography. It emphasizes both the author’s deep understanding of a wealth of historical geographic research and the utility of a regional approach to the historical geography of the United States.

Historical Geography

A thoughtful and effective textbook for teaching university courses on the historical geography of the United States. This textbook is set apart from similar sources in three ways: structure, approach, and style. First, The Making of America’s Culture Regions stands out because it’s chapters are structured region-by-region. . . . Second, Nostrand picks three themes and employs them to interpret each region: cultural landscape, cultural diffusion, and cultural ecology. These pillars afford a sense of unity and memorability [and] provide a stable foundation to sample other thematic varieties, such as gender, race, animals, urbanization, and indigenous rights. Third, the style of the book makes the learning expectations refreshingly obvious. . . . Nostrand masterfully discerns how and when to place diagrams, photos, and maps so that they connect directly to the narrative. . . . The maps are as visually appealing as they are easy to read, relevant to the content, and incredibly practical as stand-alone maps.

Journal Of Cultural Geogrpahy

The chapters are laden with detail and synthesis of the secondary literature as well as the importance of archival study in how historical geographers understand the past. The text's prose is a careful balance of serious discussion and lite anecdotes. . . . the detailed chapters outline the context of features that are still present today but are often poorly understood.

Pacific Historical Review