Things which we regard as the everyday objects of consumption (and hence re-purchase), and essential to any decent, civilised lifestyle, have not always been so: in former times, everyday objects would have passed from one generation to another, without anyone dreaming of acquiring new ones. How, therefore, have people in the modern world become 'prisoners of objects', as Rousseau put it? The celebrated French cultural historian Daniel Roche answers this fundamental question using insights from economics, politics, demography and geography, as well as his own extensive historical knowledge. Professor Roche places familiar objects and commodities - houses, clothes, water - in their wider historical and anthropological contexts, and explores the origins of some of the daily furnishings of modern life. A History of Everyday Things is a pioneering essay that sheds light on the origins of the consumer society and its social and political repercussions, and thereby the birth of the modern w
A Cultural History of Gardens presents an authoritative survey from ancient times to the present. This set of six volumes covers over 2500 years of gardens as physical, social and artistic spaces.1. A
In this multidimensional analysis, Benjamin A. Elman uses over a thousand newly available examination records from the Yuan, Ming, and Ch'ing dynasties, 1315-1904, to explore the social, political, an
A Social History of Books and Libraries from Cuneiform to Bytes traces the roles of books and libraries throughout recorded history and explores their social and cultural importance within differing s
What is the use of social theory to historians, and of history to social theorists? In clear and energetic prose, a preeminent cultural historian here offers a far-reaching response to these deceptive
This volume aims to provide a balanced and detailed survey of the complex sports and hobby industry that is cycling in France. By identifying key events, practices, stakeholders, and institutions in t
What is rock? This lively new book suggests that to answer such a seemingly simple question, we must first understand the music in its social and cultural context, including how social relations betwe
Forests?and the trees within them?have always been a central resource for the development of technology, culture, and the expansion of humans as a species. Examining and challenging our historical and
Forestsand the trees within themhave always been a central resource for the development of technology, culture, and the expansion of humans as a species. Examining and challenging our historical and m
Tova Navarra's new visual history of Howell and Farmingdale presents a wealth of vintage images and carefully researched information on the area's past. The book's focus on the social and cultural asp
This engaging textbook is a concise overview of a sweeping topic - American Immigration. Immigration is core to the history of America - a "Nation of Immigrants" who are diverse by definition. Beginni
From Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to Chocolat, from romantic gift to guilty indulgence, chocolate has a special place in Western popular culture. But what are the hidden histories behind this lux
This engaging textbook is a concise overview of a sweeping topic - American Immigration. Immigration is core to the history of America - a "Nation of Immigrants" who are diverse by definition. Beginni
