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License to Travel

A Cultural History of the Passport
By Patrick Bixby
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Check link for latest rating. ( 94 ratings, 17 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
License to Travel by Patrick Bixby delves into the history and cultural significance of the passport, exploring how it has evolved from a mere travel document to a powerful symbol of identity and citizenship. The book examines the geopolitical forces that have shaped its development, highlighting the passport's role in shaping global mobility and personal freedom. Through historical narratives and contemporary analysis, Bixby offers insights into how these small booklets influence our worldviews and the politics of international travel.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$3799
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you are fascinated by the evolution of travel documentation throughout history and its impact on global movement and identity. It delves into the political and cultural significance of passports and explores how these documents shape our understanding of mobility and freedom. If you're intrigued by the intersection of travel, politics, and personal history, this book offers an insightful perspective.

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License to Travel

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

This surprising global history of an indispensable document reveals how the passport has shaped art, thought, and human experience while helping to define the modern world.

In License to Travel, Patrick Bixby takes the reader on a captivating journey from pharaonic Egypt and Han-dynasty China to the passport controls and crowded refugee camps of today. Along the way, you will:

  • Peruse the passports of artists and intellectuals, writers and musicians, ancient messengers and modern migrants.
  • See how these seemingly humble documents implicate us in larger narratives about identity, mobility, citizenship, and state authority.
  • Encounter intimate stories of vulnerability and desire along with vivid examples drawn from world cinema, literature, art, philosophy, and politics.
  • Witness the authority that travel documents exercise over our movements and our emotions as we circulate around the globe.

With unexpected discoveries at every turn, License to Travel exposes the passport as both an instrument of personal freedom and a tool of government surveillance powerful enough to define our very humanity.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

License to Travel by Patrick Bixby is praised for its comprehensive and insightful examination of the passport's history and significance. Reviews highlight how Bixby delves into the cultural and political implications of passports, illustrating their role in defining identity and privilege. The book is noted for its accessible writing style, making complex topics understandable and engaging for readers interested in the politics and history of travel documentation.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780520397897

Publisher: University of California Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 05 September 2023

Country: United States

Imprint: University of California Press

Illustration: 18 b-w images

Audience: Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 15.0mm

Width: 140.0mm

Height: 210.0mm

Weight: 318g

Pages: 248

Collections

American & Canadian History Education & Reference Global History History & Military Non-Fiction Patrick Bixby Politics & Current Affairs Science & Nature

About the Author

Patrick Bixby is Professor of English at Arizona State University. His books include Unaccompanied Traveler: The Writings of Kathleen M. Murphy.

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