Cook's Tours: The Story of Popular Travel

by Edmund Swinglehurst

COOK'S TOURS presents a light-hearted but complete and informational picture of the evolution of popular travel from 1850 to the present day. It shows how the marketing of travel in the early days of exhortation of workers to claim their right to holidays has progressed to toady's sophisticated promotion of the temptations of foreign holidays. It also examines the business aspects of travel from its aspects of travel from its beginnings in the hands of enthusiastic amateurs to its present-day status as an industry attracting the financial backing of banks and business houses and the support of governments.

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

Edmund Swinglehurst (1917-2005) was a painter and writer. He was born in Chile and educated in England, returning to Chile to teach European history and culture at a private English school. On returning to Europe, he travelled to most of the major cities of Europe to visit their art museums, with special reference to art from the early 19th century onwards. He also studied art in Paris with Fernand Léger at the École des Beaux Arts

Swinglehurst wrote many books on art and travel. He exhibited his artwork in both England and Chile.

Reviews

[Daren · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book plots the history of this famous travel company, and especially Thomas Cook himself, but also his extended family who all played a part in the company over the years, the real joy of this book are the many period advertisements for the travel services provided.

These take over from any of the text (which is painfully small for a large format book), and the colour and presentation of the advertisements is incredible. From the 1880s through to the 1970s the design and graphics are great, particularly the 1930s and 1950s. A wide array of locations and types of travel advertised.

I detest trying to load photos into reviews. Surely there is an easy way that the clumsy way needed here. You can get a fair idea from googling "Vintage Thomas Cook Advertisements" : Link