Merlin Coverley

From the novel to the political manifesto, from satire to science fiction, utopia has always reflected the age that gave rise to it. The Pocket Essential Utopia takes the reader on a journey through these imaginary worlds, charting the progress of utopian ideas from their origins within the classical world, to the rebirth of utopian ideals in the Middle Ages, through the emergence of socialist and feminist ideas and to 20th century expressions of totalitarian oppression. Meer

Artists and writers from the colder climes of northern Europe have long felt the lure of the South of the continent. Goethe was revitalised by his encounters with Mediterranean culture on his journey to Italy. Meer

The Art of Wandering is a history of that curious hybrid, the writer as walker. From the Ancient world to the modern day, the role of the walker continues to evolve, from philosopher and pilgrim, vagrant and visionary, to experimentalist and radical. Meer