Jon Mathieu Book order

Exploring the sacredness of mountains like Mount Kailash and Uluru, this study examines the spiritual practices of prayer and pilgrimage associated with these sites. It contrasts these traditions with Christianity's historical detachment from nature, highlighting tensions during colonialism. The work discusses the impact of decolonization and the ecological movement on the interpretation of sacred mountains, illustrating their significance as symbols of cultural diversity and their roles in contemporary issues like gender justice and environmental protection.

Stretching 1,200 kilometres across six countries, the colossal mountains of the Alps dominate Europe, geographically and historically. Enlightenment thinkers felt the sublime and magisterial peaks were the very embodiment of nature, Romantic poets looked to them for divine inspiration, and Victorian explorers tested their ingenuity and courage against them. Located at the crossroads between powerful states, the Alps have played a crucial role in the formation of European history, a place of intense cultural fusion as well as fierce conflict between warring nations. A diverse range of flora and fauna have made themselves at home in this harsh environment, which today welcomes over 100 million tourists a year. Leading Alpine scholar Jon Mathieu tells the story of the people who have lived in and been inspired by these mountains and valleys, from the ancient peasants of the Neolithic to the cyclists of the Tour de France. Far from being a remote and backward corner of Europe, the Alps are shown by Mathieu to have been a crucible of new ideas and technologies at the heart of the European story.

This groundbreaking work explores the concept of Earth's three-dimensionality through a historical lens, examining how our understanding of geography and spatial relationships has evolved over time. It delves into the interplay between human perception and the physical world, highlighting key historical moments and figures that have shaped our comprehension of the planet. By integrating history with geographical thought, the book offers a unique perspective on how we visualize and interact with the Earth.

Focusing on the historical interplay between environment and society, this work challenges misconceptions about the Alps, presenting them as integral to European development rather than isolated from it. It offers a comprehensive analysis of the region's economic and sociopolitical evolution from 1500 to 1900, examining population dynamics, agrarian structures, and family history. The study also highlights the complex relationships within the Savoy, Grisons, and Carinthia regions, providing a nuanced understanding of how the Alps shaped modern civilization.

In the 1700s, Jean-Jacques Rousseau celebrated the Alps as the quintessence of the triumph of nature over the “horrors” of civilization. Now available in English, History of the Alps, 1500-1900: Environment, Development, and Society provides a precise history of one of the greatest mountain range systems in the world. Jon Mathieu’s work disproves a number of commonly held notions about the Alps, positioning them as neither an inversion of lowland society nor a world apart with respect to Europe. Mathieu’s broad historical portrait addresses both the economic and sociopolitical—exploring the relationship between population levels, development, and the Alpine environment, as well as the complex links between agrarian structure, society, and the development of modern civilization. More detailed analysis examines the relationship between various agrarian structures and shifting political configurations, several aspects of family history between the late Middle Ages and the turn of the twentieth century, and exploration of the Savoy, Grisons, and Carinthia regions.