In the Age of Enlightenment (1650-1800) the word leisure had a limited presence in intellectual discourse, but in public debates about related concepts such as pleasure and luxury modern practices of and attitudes towards leisure were increasingly discussed. Not surprisingly, as leisure acquired an increasing presence in the economy and in the patterns of peoples lives.
Between low cost popular entertainments and high cost elite culture, commercial entrepreneurs developed a growing range of leisure pursuits for a growing market. Leisure became more sharply defined: in recreational spaces and specific leisure destinations such as spa towns and seaside resorts, as well as in time. How did various people navigate between aspects of leisure that were celebrated or contested? How did the rise of polite culture and competitive emulation impact on shifting trends?
A Cultural History of Leisure in the Age of Enlightenment, with particular attention to the British experience, presents an overview of key themes and trends in this period, with essays on: Ideas of leisure; The performing arts and their audiences; The cerebral arts and their publics; Sports and games; Holydays, holidays and tourism; The world of conviviality; The world of goods; The world of nature; Representations of leisure.
A Cultural History of Leisure is part of The Cultural Histories Series. Titles are available as hardcover sets for libraries needing just one subject or preferring a tangible reference for their shelves or as part of a fully-searchable digital library. The digital product is available to institutions by annual subscription or on perpetual access via www.bloomsburyculturalhistory.com. Individual volumes for academics and researchers interested in specific historical periods are also available in print or digitally via www.bloomsburycollections.com.
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A comprehensive history of leisure during the age of Enlightenment.
Introduction
1. Ideas of Leisure Peter Borsay (Aberystwyth University, UK)
2. The Performing Arts and their Audiences Vanessa L. Rogers (Rhodes College,
USA)
3. The Cerebral Arts and their Publics Mark Towsey (University of Liverpool,
UK)
4. Sports and Games Mike Huggins (University of Cumbria, UK)
5. Holydays, Holidays and Tourism Rachael Johnson (Independent Scholar, UK)
6. The World of Conviviality Martyn Powell (University of Bristol, UK)
7. The World of Goods Jon Stobart (Manchester Metropolitan University, UK)
8. The World of Nature Vaughn Scribner (University of Central Arkansas, USA)
9. Representations of Leisure Peter Borsay (Aberystwyth University, UK) and
Rose McCormack (Independent Scholar, UK)
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Peter Borsay was Professor of History at Aberystwyth University, UK, a member of the advisory boards of Urban History and the Journal of Tourism History, and a committee member of the British Pre-Modern Towns Group. His books include The English Urban Renaissance (1989); The Image of Georgian Bath, 1700-2000: Towns, Heritage and History (2000); and A History of Leisure: The British Experience since 1500 (2006). He also co-edited Resorts and Ports: European Seaside Towns since 1700 (2011) and Leisure Cultures in Urban Europe, c. 1700-1870: A Transnational Perspective (2016).
