In fact, his earliest sources include the Epic of Gilgamesh , which contains several important references to forest utilization. By studying such a huge span of time, Perlin is able to focus on long-term trends. He weaves wood use into a narrative of economic and political history in a very effective way. In addition to this unfortunately linear presentation, Perlin's choice of geographical subject areas is also questionable. In Perlin's defense, I will admit that one cannot study the whole world across all of human history, and I think he was correct to limit the spatial boundaries instead of time.
Every chapter has several maps, and all study areas are always labeled.
Dean is also a careful mapper, but the other books in this forestry unit were usually pathetic, forcing me to use my imagination to determine the location of shrinking forests. Actually, the map issue is not trivial to me because it illustrates Perlin's goals and style. He is possibly the most straightforward author in this section, and also one of the clearest writers. He works hard to provide maps and historical background to support his claims, which are really not all that far fetched. The strength of this book lies in its scope and detail.