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The Underground Sea

Series: Canons
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Brief Description
The Underground Sea is a succinct, urgent collection of writings from John Berger's archive. It brings together for the first time his work on mineworkers and the miners' strikes and has been edited as a set of actions for today: a time when people are rediscovering... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
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A succinct, urgent and never-before seen collection of Berger's writing on mineworkers and miners' strikes celebrating both his acclaimed writing and deep-rooted politics

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The Underground Sea is a succinct, urgent collection of writings from John Berger's archive. It brings together for the first time his work on mineworkers and the miners' strikes and has been edited as a set of actions for today: a time when people are rediscovering the necessity, power, and possibilities of collective action.

Including essays, transcripts, interviews, and images, it places itself in the heart of a Derbyshire mining village, with reflections on the everyday life of a typical pit community.

Series: Canons

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781837260386

Publisher: Canongate Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 10 April 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Canongate Canons

Edition: Main - Canons

Illustration: B&W images throughout

Contributors:

  • Edited by Matthew Harle
  • Edited by Tom Overton
  • Edited by Tom Overton
  • Edited by Matthew Harle

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 10.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 124g

Pages: 128

About the Author

John Berger was born in London in 1926. His seminal Ways of Seeing was one of the most influential books on art in the twentieth century. His many books, innovative in form and far-reaching in their historical and political insight, include To the Wedding, King, and the Booker Prize-winning novel, G. He died, aged ninety, in January 2017.

Tom Overton is John Berger's biographer. He catalogued the Berger archive at the British Library and edited Portraits: John Berger on Artists and Landscapes: John Berger on Art. He lives in Sheffield.

Matthew Harle is a writer and curator. His latest books include Black Arsenal and Mirror Reflecting Darkly. His curating explores the cultural histories of everyday life, most recently in the retrospective People Make Television at Raven Row in 2023.

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