Alun Howkins' panoramic survey is a social history of rural England and Wales in the twentieth century. He examines the impact of the First World War, the role of agriculture throughout the century, and the expectations of the countryside that modern urban people harbour. Howkins analyzes the role of rural England as a place for work as well as leisure, and the problems caused by these often conflicting roles.

This overview will be welcomed by anyone interested in agricultural and social history, historical geographers, and all those interested in rural affairs.

About the Author
Alun Howkins is Professor of Social History at the University of Sussex. His previous publications include Poor Labouring Men (1985) and Reshaping Rural England (1992). He wrote and presented a four-part history of agriculture for BBC2, Fruitful Earth, in 1999.

Reviews

'This is an admirable book: wide-ranging, drawing on a wide variety of sources, with the literary adding elegance to the economic... It requires no prior knowledge on the part of the reader, it avoids jargon... It will be of interest to all those concerned with the recent British past and present.' - History Today, November 2003

'[A] highly readable and challenging account ... it is required reading for historians, economists, and social anthropologists.' - Agricultural History Review

'This well-researched volume ... give[s] a complete picture of changing rural life.' -History - The Journal of the Historical Association

Book Information
ISBN 9780415138857
Author Alun Howkins
Format Paperback
Page Count 272
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 500g