"The Lost Art of Walking: The History, Science, Philosophy, and History of Pedestrianism" by Geoff Nicholson (Riverhead, 2008)
May 30, 2023
Walking, for me, is a total meditation. I rarely walk from point A to point B, but more out of the enjoyment of leaving the front door and wondering what direction I will go. That, to me, is pure walking. As a walker, I like to read books by other walkers. Geoff Nicholson's "The Lost Art of Walking" is the ultimate 'walking' book. It deals with the author walking in Los Angeles, New York City, London, and his hometown of Sheffield in the U.K. and the very nature of the habit of walking. The book covers a lot of ground - writers who write about walking, films that deal with walking, and, interestingly enough - street photographers who have to walk for their picture-taking process. There are also music references throughout the book regarding the subject matter of walking. Also, a series of profiles on those who did walk and the legendary walkers throughout history. He also comments on the issues of urban walking vs. a walk in the desert. It's a fun read, and Nicholson is all over the map and opinionated. Not the ultimate Situationist text, or even close to it - but a (very) good book on the walk and walking in general.
My husband and I walk almost every night. We carry a bag of kitty treats for the various cat friends we’ve met during our treks.
"Falling Down," that kind-of crummy Michael Douglas movie, was set within the span of the character walking from DTLA to Venice... more or less true to geography.