In Within Walking Distance, journalist and urban critic Philip Langdon looks at why and how Americans are shifting toward a more human-scale way of building and living. He shows how people are creating, improving, and caring for walkable communities. To draw the most important lessons, Langdon spent time in six communities that differ in size, history, wealth, diversity, and education, yet share crucial traits: compactness, a mix of uses and activities, and human scale. To improve conditions and opportunities for everyone, Langdon argues that places where the best of life is within walking distance ought to be at the core of our thinking. This book is for anyone who wants to understand what can be done to build, rebuild, or improve a community while retaining the things that make it distinctive.

At the heart of Walking Distance: Extraordinary Hikes for Ordinary People are firsthand descriptions of thirty of the world's best long-distance hikes on six continents—including personal anecdotes, historical backgrounds, and useful tips—accompanied by stunning full-color photographs and maps.

Merging the personal and the political, observation and contemplation, the author examines what her life is and wonders what it should be; what is expected of a thirty year old woman by society, by family and friends and by herself. She walks the streets of her London, creating it and herself -- gaining agency by being in control of her own direction, speed and momentum. Walking is both an internal and external experience. It's a time for self-reflection, for observing others and for imagining how we appear to them. What is expected of a person of our age, sex, and race, and how should that influence what we do and how we feel about ourselves? A poignant and contemporary meditation on gender politics, social commentary, and eighties movies, all interlaced with shards of autobiography and illustrated with a beautiful series of sequential and non-sequential watercolour images.

A passionate, thought-provoking exploration of walking as a political and cultural activity, from the author of Orwell's Roses Drawing together many histories--of anatomical evolution and city design, of treadmills and labyrinths, of walking clubs and sexual mores--Rebecca Solnit creates a fascinating portrait of the range of possibilities presented by walking. Arguing that the history of walking includes walking for pleasure as well as for political, aesthetic, and social meaning, Solnit focuses on the walkers whose everyday and extreme acts have shaped our culture, from philosophers to poets to mountaineers. She profiles some of the most significant walkers in history and fiction--from Wordsworth to Gary Snyder, from Jane Austen's Elizabeth Bennet to Andre Breton's Nadja--finding a profound relationship between walking and thinking and walking and culture. Solnit argues for the necessity of preserving the time and space in which to walk in our ever more car-dependent and accelerated world.

"Dave Brussat has made a significant contribution to the history of Providence. For those interested in that history, "Lost Providence" is a real find." Providence Journal Providence has one of the nation's most intact historic downtowns and is one of America's most beautiful cities. The history of architectural change in the city is one of lost buildings, urban renewal plans and challenges to preservation. The Narragansett Hotel, a lost city icon, hosted many famous guests and was demolished in 1960. The American classical renaissance expressed itself in the Providence National Bank, tragically demolished in 2005. Urban renewal plans such as the Downtown Providence plan and the College Hill plan threatened the city in the mid-twentieth century. Providence eventually embraced its heritage through plans like the River Relocation Project that revitalized the city's waterfront and the Downcity Plan that revitalized its downtown. Author David Brussat chronicles the trials and triumphs of Providence's urban development.

A renowned explorer and acclaimed author shows us that walking is a natural accompaniment to creativity—and among the most radical things we can do. “Simple, profound … compelling … [a book that] packs a surprisingly motivational punch” (GQ). Why do we walk? Where do we walk from? What is our destination? Placing one foot in front of the other and embarking on the journey of discovery are activities intrinsic to our nature. But as universal as walking is, each of us will experience it differently. For renowned explorer Erling Kagge, walking is a natural accompaniment to creativity: the occasion for the unspoken dialogue of thinking. Walking is also the antidote to the speed at which we conduct our lives, to our insistence on rushing, on doing everything in a precipitous manner.

A fun, easy, and economical route to fitness and health: “This book will give women everywhere the guidance they need” (Grete Waitz, nine-time winner of the New York City Marathon). Women’s fitness pioneer Kathrine Switzer has been on her feet for over fifty years. She knows how running or walking is the fastest, easiest, and least expensive road to fitness for women of any age. For women over forty in particular, it’s vital to fit an exercise regimen into their busy lives, and ensure they can stay active and healthy for many years to come. No matter how inexperienced or old you are, Switzer will guide and ease you into a new exercise schedule, making the time you give yourself the best part of your day—and your future life. Recommendations for shoes, clothing, injury prevention, nutrition, motivation, and finding the time in your life will keep you exercising safely and comfortably. For women over forty, Switzer’s expert running and walking programs are specifically designed for you, enabling you to keep healthy and enjoy life to the fullest for decades to come. “For many over-forty women, this book will be a passport to the best years of their lives.” —Joan Benoit Samuelson, Olympic gold medalist and US marathon record holder