Tuesday, 1 October 2013

On Topophilia


Wikipedia definition of Topophilia

Note this discussion from the book "City, Society and Planning"

I am currently reading Professor Yi-Fu-Tuan's excellent "Topophilia, A Study of Environmental Perception, Attiudes and Values" (new edition 1990).

Although a geographer, he quotes from many poets, but fails to quote from John Betjeman or W.H.Auden (introduction to "Slick But Not Steamlined", 1947), a curious omission. I would have expected references to Thomas Hardy and William Barnes too.

Two different meanings or understandings of the  "Topophilia" concept.

On "emotional geographies"

Alan Watts

Plinius (Some Landscapes blog) - refers to the books by Kitty Hauser and Alexandra Harris

Kitty Hauser:
Shadow Sites, Photography, Archaeology, and the British Landscape 1927-1955
Another approach to Topos and Topography


John Betjeman, topophil(e):

"Rime Intrinsica, Fontmell Magna, Sturminster Newton and Melbury Bubb....

Lord's Day bells from Bingham's Melcombe, Iwerne Minster, Shroton, Plush..."

(from "Dorset")

"Day after day I long
For sun girt, sunkissed, surfing Aussie land
Would even dare the waves on Bondi Beach...
'Oh come back!'
The watttle and the wallabies cry out.
And soon, please God, I will."

(from "To Norman Williams and Patsy Zeppel", February 1963)

No comments:

Post a Comment