The Bicycle -- Towards a Global History - by P Smethurst (Paperback)
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<p/><br></br><p><b> Book Synopsis </b></p></br></br>The modern bicycle as we know it today was developed in England in the 1880s. A decade later, cycling was already a popular spectator sport and a recreational fashion across western society. Women's rights, class mobility and a modern spirit of individualism helped fuel this bicycle boom. In China, on the other hand, the bicycle's ubiquity reflected state-controlled social uniformity. Briefly, it became a symbol of resistance in Tiananmen Square in the 1980s, but crushed by tanks it later turned into a downward marker of class with millions scrapped. In the 21st century, the bicycle is enjoying a global resurgence. It is favoured as a sustainable form of transport, while also reinventing itself as a chic and sportive fashion object, and a generic protest vehicle. <p/>With contradictory strands like these, the bicycle's cultural history is a rich subject for cross-cultural study. Beginning with the technical history of the bicycle's invention, and the socio-economic factors that precipitated it, the main focus of this book is the ever-changing cultural significance of the bicycle as an object, and of bicycling as a shifting, but ever popular social practice around the world. <p/><p/><br></br><p><b> Review Quotes </b></p></br></br><br><p>"Using four thematic chapters, this book is notable in providing an assessment of the history of the bicycle that is firmly lodged in sociology and cultural studies, representing the most current academic approaches to the subject. Its global outlook is particularly welcome. It is a valuable addition to the literature of cycling history and to transport studies more generally."</p> <p>- Nicholas Oddy, Head of Design History and Context, Glasgow School of Art, UK</p> <p>'Paul Smethurst has thoroughly digested his bicycle history and produced a deeply researched, original and perceptive cultural and social history of the bicycle. Among the many recently published new titles exploring this ever-fascinating subject, Paul's is particularly noteworthy for its broad explorations and international focus.' Dr Andrew Ritchie, bicycle historian and author of Major Taylor: The Fastest Bicycle Rider in the World</p><br><p/><br></br><p><b> About the Author </b></p></br></br><p>Paul Smethurst is Associate Professor in English at the University of Hong Kong, China, where he teaches courses in travel writing, literature and the environment, and fictions of globalisation. His books include Travel Writing and the Natural World (2013) and The Postmodern Chronotope (2000). After taking early retirement in 2015, he plans to continue writing from his home in Bali.</p>
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