num_pages: 576
description: Between 1821 and 1836 William Cobbett toured the southern English countryside by foot and on horseback, and Rural Rides is his remarkable account of what he saw. A prolific writer and journalist of genius, Cobbett matured into a radical left-wing politician, and a farmer who ensured his labourers had access to the three Bs: bacon, bread and beer. Recording swiftly changing ways of life, Rural Rides juxtaposes lyrical evocations of the countryside with attacks on the poverty of agricultural workers consigned to hovels with a diet of potatoes and tea. It remains one of the greatest celebrations of agrarian England, admired by thinkers as diverse as Marx, Chesterton and Belloc.
language: English
title: Rural Rides
titlecomplete: Rural Rides
genres: Adventure, Politics, British Literature, Nonfiction, Literature, Classics, Travel, 19th Century, Class Issues, History
ratings_count: 134
publisher: Penguin Classics