Few historians have written about walking, despite its obvious centrality to the human condition. Focusing on the period 1800-1914, this book examines the practices and meanings of walking in the context of transformative modernity. It boldly suggests that once historians place walking at the heart of their analyses, exciting new perspectives on themes central to the 'long nineteenth century' emerge.
Walking Histories, 1800-1914
adopts a global perspective, including contributions from specialists in the history and culture of Great Britain, North America, Australia, Russia, East-Central Europe, and South Asia. Critically engaging with recent research, the contributions within offer fresh insights for academic experts, while remaining accessible to student readers. This book will be essential reading for those interested in movement, travel, leisure, urban history, and environmental history.
"What is striking and perhaps novel here is the range of perspectives that the authors collectively bring to the subject. ? Here are a series of highly intelligent and rigorously researched essays whose variety allows us to look beyond the classic 'Romantic walker' and urban flaneur
? and is surely now a must-read for anyone interested in the history of walking." (Peter Borsay, Social History, Vol. 42 (3), July, 2017)
"This collection has a truly global reach. .. no one could read this rich and resonant collection without learning something ? ." (William Whyte, English Historical Review EHR, Vol. 132 (556), June, 2017)
