Raymond Williams' landmark exploration of how literature has shaped—and been shaped by—our understanding of rural and urban life across centuries. From pastoral poetry to industrial novels, this is cultural criticism at its finest: erudite, provocative, and deeply humane. Williams traces the mythology of the 'simple country' against the 'wicked city' through English literature, revealing how these ideas reflect class, labour, and power. Perfect for literature students, cultural theorists, and anyone fascinated by how stories construct our sense of place.
