How the States Got Their Shapes

I just finished reading How the States Got Their Shapes by Mark Stein. Quite an interesting read, but I guess I shouldn't say that I actually finished it. I had to return it to the library for two reasons: 1) It was way overdue, and 2) it was getting repetitive.

I learned a lot about why the state borders are the way they are. Some things I never knew:

-Arizona wanted to be a slave state
-There actually was a "war" over Toledo, which changed the border
-Congress planned to have states made to be as equal as possible (this is obvious, I guess, but I never thought about it before)
-The reason Nevada dips down into a point is to gain water access, which is moot now since the Hoover dam was built

I would have more to write, but I can't remember it all (pregnancy brain) and since I had to give the book back to the library before my fine gets too huge. I really thought it was interesting, but repetitive...for example, once you read about Alabama, it made reading about Mississippi a little boring, because you already covered their border in Alabama. Includes lots of maps to reference, and really is a quick read, if you have the time.

Speaking of Time....

I should have a lot more of it, until summer session of school starts, that is. Now I can get back to my knitting and reading! Currently, I'm reading Factory Girls by Leslie T. Chang. Very interesting look into the life of Chinese migrant workers.

I'm also finishing up two sweaters for the baby. I will post pictures once they are done and ready to be shown off!