Rural Rides

In the 1820s, William Cobbett rode on horseback through southern and eastern England, recording what he saw in letters for his weekly newspaper. Rural Rides collects those journeys into a single vivid book: part travel journal, part political report, part personal memoir. Cobbett describes crops and weather, inns and roads, farmers and labourers, and he argues passionately that the countryside is being ruined by debt, taxes and a corrupt government. He calls London the 'Wen' and sees it as a parasite on the land. He is by turns funny, generous, stubborn and furious, and his plain, forceful prose makes him excellent company.

This edition is for readers who want to understand England before the railways and to hear one of its most original voices. It will appeal to students of history and literature, to book clubs, and to anyone who enjoys strong opinions and close observation of the natural world. Cobbett's prejudices are part of the book, and modern readers will find much to argue with, but his sympathy for ordinary people and his eye for detail remain compelling.

This edition contains the complete text of Rural Rides, a new introduction, a guide to key ideas, a summary, themes, a glossary of period words and phrases, and discussion questions for readers, students and book clubs.