Velocipedomania – A Cultural History of the Velocipede in France Cropper Whidden

VelocipedomaniaA Cultural History of the Velocipede in France\nAuthor(s): Corry Cropper, Seth Whidden\nFormat: Hardback\nPublisher: Bucknell University Press,U.S., United States\nImprint: Bucknell University Press,U.S.\nISBN-13: 9781684484348, 978-1684484348\nSynopsis\nWhen blacksmith Pierre Michaux affixed pedals to the front axle of a two-wheeled scooter with a seat, he helped kick off a craze known asvelocipedomania, which swept France in the late 1860s. The immediate forerunner of the bicycle, the velocipede similarlyreflected changing cultural attitudes and challengedgender norms.\n Velocipedomaniais the first in-depth study of the velocipede fad and the popular culture it inspired. It explores how the device was hailed as a symbol of France's cutting-edge technological advancements, yet also marketed as an invention with a noble pedigree, born from the nation's cultural and literary heritage. Giving readers a window into the material culture and enthusiasms of Second Empire Fr.