Books: The Nine Nations of North America
Just back from a trip to Miami I am reminded of the now classic book The Nine Nations of North America in which Joel Garreau describes North America as nine regions with cultures so distinctive that they seem to be independent nations. Although parts of the book (originally published in 1981) are dated and I still want to quibble about some of the boundaries, I couldn’t help feeling that Miami is as different from Seattle as Paris is from Berlin. Indeed Seattle has far more in common with Vancouver than it does with Denver, Chicago, or Boston.
The nine nations according to Garreau are:
• New England
• The Foundry
• Dixie
• The Islands
• MexAmerica
• Ecotopia
• The Empty Quarter
• The Breadbasket
• Quebec
He also identifies three aberrations:
• Washington DC
• Manhattan
• Hawaii
Having lived in four of the nations and two of the three aberrations I believe that Garreau’s approach has much more to recommend it than the red state/blue state division that has become so popular. Miami (capital of The Islands) sounds, smells and feels like an island. Atlanta, capital of Dixie, would never be confused with Detroit. It’s more than the look and feel of the places, it’s also the values and attitudes of the people.
The Garreau Group maintains a website that describes the regions in detail and adds “new stuff.” As useful as I think the book still is, I wish Garreau would do a complete rewrite. Thinking only about Ecotopia, the last 26 years have brought a technology driven economy, an Asian looking culture, and a new emphasis on education with Seattle housing the most educated populace in the US. Yes, we still care about the environment and enjoy the magnificent land but other elements have been added. I’m guessing that a new study would reveal an intensification of the characteristics that make each region so distinctive. After all, on this trip Miami seemed even more like an island than it did the last time I visited.
Image: Taken by Bob, Miami, May 2007.
