<p><strong>For centuries, living afloat on Britain¿s waterways has been a rich part of the fabric of our social history, from the fisherfolk of ancient Britain to the bohemian houseboat dwellers of the 1950s and beyond</strong>.</p><p>Whether they have chosen to leave the land behind and take to the water or been driven there by necessity, the history of the houseboat is a unique and fascinating seam of British history.</p><p>In <em>Water Gypsies</em>, Julian Dutton ¿ who was born and grew up on a houseboat ¿ traces the evolution of boat-dwelling, from an industrial phenomenon in the heyday of the canals to the rise of life afloat as an alternative lifestyle in postwar Britain.</p><p>Drawing on personal accounts and with a beautiful collection of illustrations, <em>Water Gypsies</em> is both a vivid narrative of a unique way of life and a valuable addition to social history.</p>