The authors and publisher have strived to make this a text that students will embrace. To this end, we have taken these steps:

• Writing a readable text. Many reviewers commented on the accessible style and the clarity of writing, clear definition of terms, and current examples of events.
• Providing a clear structure to each chapter so that students can more easily make comparisons from one world region to another. This consistent structure also helps students become familiar with what to expect in each chapter.
• Including statistical data in straightforward maps and diagrams, without compromising the readability of the text.
• Maintaining the same style and types of maps and diagrams throughout, so that students can compare regions with ease.
• Introducing pedagogical aids, such as Point-Counterpoint boxes, which tackle challenging issues for which there are no easy answers and which explore various sides of these difficult topics.
• Adding study tools into the text, such as the “Test Your Understanding” sections several times in each chapter to summarize, pose questions, and list key terms. Also, the book’s Online Learning Center at www.mhhe.com/bradshaw provides practice test questions, map-based quizzes, and access to a library of related websites, as well as other learning aids.