This book will speak to the new human epoch; the Urban Age. A majority of humanity now lives for the first time in cities. The city; the highest invention of the modern age; is now the human heartland. And yet the same process that brought us the city and its wonders; modernisation; has also thrown up challenges and threats; especially climate change; resource depletion; social division and economic insecurity. This book considers how these threats are encountered and countered in the urban age; focusing on the issue of human knowledge and self-awareness; just as Hannah Arendtrsquo;s influential The Human Condition did half a century ago. The Human Condition is now The Urban Condition. And it is this condition that will define human prospects in an age of default and risk. Gleeson expertly explores the concept through three main themes. The first is an exploration of what defines the current human condition; especially the expanding cities that are at the heart of an over-consumptive world economic order. The second exposes and reviews the reawakening of forms of knowledge (lsquo;naturalismrsquo;) that are likely to worsen not improve our comprehension of the crisis. The new lsquo;science of urbanismrsquo; in popular new literature exemplifies this dangerous trend. The third and last part of the book considers prospects for a new urban; and therefore human; dispensation; lsquo;The Good Cityrsquo;. We must first journey in our urban vessels through troubled times. But can we now start to plot the way to new shores; to a safer; more resilient city that provides for human flourishing? The Urban Condition attempts this ideal; conceiving a new urbanism based on the old idea of self-limitation.The Urban Condition is an original; timely book that reconsiders and redeploys Arendtrsquo;s famous notion of The Human Condition in an age of cities and risk. It brings together several important strands of human consideration; urbanisation; climate threat; resource depletion; economic default and critical knowledge and weaves them into a new analysis of the times. It also looks to a future that is nearly with usmdash;of changed climate; resource scarcity and economic stress. The book journeys into these troubled times; proposing the idea of Lifeboat Cities as a way of thinking about the human journey to come
2014-05-10 2014-05-10File Name: B00KHLP426
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Barbecue and Brunswick Stew: Learn; Crave; and Enjoy these fine Culinary traditions through two wonderful books by Joe HaynesBy dan mouerThe following is what I wrote as a foreword for Joseph Hayness second book on two hugely significant culinary folk traditions of Virginia that influenced the whole country; namely; Barbecue and Brunswick Stew.t will serve here as well as my review of Hayness wonderful; and important work...........Forewordby L. Daniel Mouer; PhD.Associate Professor (ret.) of Anthropology; Virginia Commonwealth UniversityCo-Founder and former Vice President; Culinary Historians of VirginiaIt has been a bit over three years ago that I received an email from a stranger named Joe Haynes. Joe told me he was writing a book about barbecue in Virginia. He had stumbled upon some of my writings about influences and interactions between early Virginia settlers and the native Powhatan people of Eastern Virginia. He was looking for some clarifications and information. We clearly shared interests in the foodways history of The Old Dominion. Soon I was reading manuscript chapters and the more I learned about Joe and his project; the more interested I became.I confess that I was at first wary of becoming too involved. Barbecue can be a passion; and it was clear to me that he was obsessed. He is; I soon learned; a competitive pit master. A big part of his passion was; as one might expect; praising his own home statersquo;s barbecue traditions and asserting that Virginia rightly holds pride of place among those claiming to be the historical and cultural source of Southern USA barbecue in all its glorious (and contentious) diversity. That way lies danger; I thought. Will this be another boastful ‟my barbecue is better than yoursrdquo; book? Will it turn out to be mainly a cookbook or yet another treatise on a pitmasterrsquo;s mysterious techniques and secret ingredients?In a little over a year; Joe announced that his first book was finished and at the publisher. Soon I had a completed copy in my hand; and I was beyond amazed at his masterful accomplishment. Joe Haynes had demonstrated clearly that his interest far exceeds the scope of most published writing about barbecue in that his research was thorough; scholarly; thoughtful; and wonderfully insightful. I quickly recommended Joersquo;s Virginia Barbecue: A History to my longtime foodways-scholarship colleagues.As soon as his book hit the shelves; Joe told me he was already working on his next magnum opus. He was going to tackle Brunswick Stew. OMG! And tackle it he has; along with Barbecue stew; barbecue hash; fish frys; Kentucky burgoo; and hoecakes. These signature southern dishes belong to the barbecue tradition; which; together with his previous book; Joe thoroughly reveals; explicates; and glorifies. He also includes some recipes recipes. Some are his own or his familyrsquo;s; but there are a number from important historic and contemporary stewmasters. That said; these recipes are just a touch of extra frosting on the cake. This is not specifically a recipe book; nor is it a ‟how-to;rdquo; but you could surely do well if you wanted to use information here to try your hand at a Brunswick Stew party.Joersquo;s work is significant scholarship. This is American culinary history and ethnology at its finest; researched with passion and recited with love; humor; and intelligence. Joe understands and appreciates the historical depth and cultural significance of these traditions. He clearly sees and helps tease out the contributions of ancient English foodways and their adaptations to and adoptions of those of Native America; as well as the role of enslaved Africans and African Americans who often were the true masters of the barbecue and stewpot. He follows traditions as they spread and evolved through the southward and westward expansion of the nation.I cannot imagine reading this book without experiencing a craving in the belly and a mouth-watering wish to re-live some of this rich history. So; my friends; read on and learn and be prepared to hunger for a day we can all sit together at a long plank table under green trees near a cool spring and drink cider and eat thick Brunswick Stew that has been stirred in an iron washpot for a day or two at an old-fashioned Virginia barbecue. When yoursquo;ve finished this volume run right out and get Virginia Barbecue: A History if you donrsquo;t already have it.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Tons of info; be ready for it!By Michael SokolyBought this book for myself as a die hard barbecue nerd. Youll be hard pressed to find a book out there with more references to the history of barbecue than Mr. Haynes. That being said; I had to ding a star off as even with my obsession with barbecue and love for history I had a hard time following it. I felt like every other sentence was a quote or reference to one and it left me unsatisfied. I was craving a story; but got mostly facts. I give much credit to Mr. Haynes for writing and compiling this book as it was obviously no easy task; I just wish I was able to following along without needing a break every few pages.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. History; Barbecue; doesnt get any betterBy Wanda D. LynchThis book is as rich in history as it is in Barbecue. If you love History and love Barbecue this book is for you. It holds your interest; a must read. I highly recommend it.
