Escapism /

Tuan (emeritus professor of geography, Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison) seeks to define escape in a mental as well as physical dimension. The basis for this intriguing book is his bold assertion that humans can be defined by their attempt to "escape" reality as they find it. Chapter headings on earth, animality, people, hell, and heaven demonstrate the breadth and scope of his undertaking; he suggests that "Culture from house to religion is a form of escape." He asserts that all cultural products take us from the natural and help us to flee reality as it is presented. This concept, a philosophical pillar of the Chinese Taoist preference for the "natural" rather than the "artificial," shows that Taoism in some sense informs this work. Tuan finds that escapism is created from imagination and abstract thought, which produces both the sublime and the horrible. This is a daring book from an author at the end of a career in the classroom and the beginning of reflections on the lessons of a lifetime. It is thought-provoking and challenging. Readers at any level will find themselves in dialogue with Tuan's assertions and learning from his insights. L. L. Lam-Easton; California State University, Northridge