LOCAL-born author Paul Barker has this month published his latest book, The Freedoms of Suburbia.
He says there are many books about cities and about the countryside, but very few about the suburbs in between.
His book is a sympathetic attempt to bridge this gap, he says.
He points out that more than four in five of the population live in s
uburbs. So suburbia, he says, "must be doing something right."
The 240-page book is published by Frances Lincoln, at £25, with colour illustrations. It has already been widely reviewed in the national press and discussed on Radio 4.
Mr Barker, who now lives in North London, grew up in Mytholmroyd and Hebden Bridge. He and his wife Sally (nee Huddleston) are both from local families.
He was educated at Burnley Road school, Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge Grammar School and Calder High School.
He then went to Brasenose College, Oxford University, on a state scholarship.
For many years, Mr Barker was the editor of the respected social affairs weekly magazine, New Society.
Before that he was on the staff of The Times and the Economist.
He is well-known as a commentator on architecture, planning and social change.
His most recent previous book was a new edition (2006) of his essay collection, Arts in Society, published by Five Leaves.
