National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future By the Mapping Science Committee of the National Research Council As the authors of this report state in the opening pages, “Private ownership of land is the foundation of financial, legal, and real estate systems” in the United States. Parcel data is also needed for analyzing the impact of natural disasters, transportation needs, and other issues. Consequently the creation and maintenance of landownership records is a vital concern for individuals and governments at all levels. This report provides a systematic assessment of the current state of parcel data in the United States and makes recommendations on coordinating the work of local, state, federal, and private organizations in the creation of nationwide parcel data. (Note: This book may be read online at no charge by visiting the National Academy of Sciences Web site.) National Academies Press, 2007, 172 pp., ISBN-10: 0-309-11030-0 Maps: Finding Our Place in the World Regional and Urban GIS: A Decision Support Approach By Timothy L. Nyerges and Piotr Jankowski Regional and Urban GIS: A Decision Support Approach combines the theory and implementation of GIS for decision support, specifically in the areas of land, transportation, and water resources management. The motivation for writing this textbook came from the need to answer questions about “the research, development, and practice of sustainability” and use GIS to help move from individual sustainable projects to methods and practices that institutionalize sustainability. The target audience for this book includes both professionals and students. It cites realworld case studies and information on the use of multicriteria evaluation (MCE), which extends basic GIS-based analysis by increasing the interactivity of decision analysis activities. The Guilford Press, 2009, 299 pp., ISBN:160623336X Edited by James R. Akerman and Robert W. Karrow Jr. Maps: Finding Our Place in the World was written as a companion to the ambitious museum exhibit of the same name in Chicago, Illinois, mounted between November 2007 and January 2008 by the Field Museum and the Newberry Library. However, this book is far more than a slick catalog. It provides the reader with a broad view of the role of maps in civilization, organized by the reason these maps were created. It contains chapters on wayfaring maps, cosmological maps, maps of local geography, maps that tell the stories of American history, maps that describe phenomena such as William Smith’s revolutionary map of the geology of England and Wales, and maps of the imaginary landscapes such as the landscape of the online game World of Warcraft. The maps selected for each chapter and the essays written to acccompany them are entertaining as well as informative. University of Chicago Press, 2007, 336 pp., ISBN: 0226010759 A Geography of Time: The Temporal Misadventures of a Social Psychologist By Robert Levine As time is becoming more tightly incorporated in GIS software implementation, it is interesting to explore how geographic location affects the perception of time. Human perception of time is also becoming a more relevant topic today because so many spatiotemporal applications revolve around decision support. A Geography of Time: The Temporal Misadventures of a Social Psychologist examines different concepts of time, how time has been measured, and how different cultural norms relating to the tempo and duration of time affect social interaction and the quality of life. In the course of his yearlong travel to 20 countries, author Robert V. Levine observed many of these differences firsthand. In addition to anecdotal evidence, Levine, a psychology professor at California State University, Fresno, cites research he conducted with his students comparing the pace of life in 31 countries based on average walking speed, the time required to purchase stamps, and the accuracy of bank clocks as well as the observations and studies of others. In the end, Levine hopes this survey helps readers examine their own perspectives on time and arrive at a middle time that balances event time of less time-driven places with clock time that is a prominent feature of life in the United States. Basic Books, 1998, 288 pp., ISBN: 0465026427 gis 58 ArcUser Spring 2010 Bookshelf www.esri.com