On Foot: A History Of Walking
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Book Description
Since the beginning of time, walking has been intertwined with virtually all human tasks. However, in the past century everything from the airplane to the automobile has displaced walking as a necessity. In this lively social history, Joseph A. Amato, author of Dust, tells the large-scale and small-scale stories of what was man's first mode of travelâ€"walking. The journey takes us from the first human migrations to marching Roman legions and ancient Greeks who considered man a "featherless biped;" from trekking medieval pilgrims to strolling courtiers and romantic ramblers; from metropolitan pedestrians, shoppers and commuters; and finally to mall walkers.
Concentrating on walking in Europe and North America and with particular focus on how walking differed according to social class, Amato distinguishes how, where, when, who, what, and under which conditions people moved on foot. He identifies crucial transformations in the history of walking, including the adoption of the horse by the mounted warrior; the rise of public display among European nobility; and the building of roads and transportation systems, which led to the inevitable ascent of the wheel over the foot.
About the Author
Joseph A. Amato is the author of fifteen books, including Dust: A History of the Small and Invisible. He is Professor Emeritus of History and Rural and Regional Studies at Southwest Minnesota State University. He lives in Marshall, MN.
On Foot: A History Of Walking,Joseph A. Amato,New York University Press,0814705022,Civilization,History,History - General History,History: World,Social History,Walking,World - General
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