French Literature Reviews - 2026

T. Harrison, Of Bridges. A Poetic and Philosophical Account
Philosophy, Anthropology and Ideas

Thomas Harrison

Of Bridges. A Poetic and Philosophical Account

University of Chicago Press

ISBN: 9780226735290

35.00 $

304 p.

OVERVIEW

“Always,” wrote Philip Larkin, “it is by bridges that we live.” Bridges embody our aspiration to connect and to soar above divides. It is precisely the unfinished business of these aspirations that makes bridges such evocative sights, particularly when they stand as marvels of engineering.

A rich compendium of myths, superstitions, literary and ideological tropes, alongside architectural and musical examples, Of Bridges weaves a poetic and philosophical history of bridges across nine thematic clusters. Moving with lucid prose between seemingly disparate times and places, Thomas Harrison offers a panoramic exploration of the diverse meanings and resonances of human bridges, questioning why they are built and where they lead. He examines bridges as focal points in warfare, as well as the megabridges of our globalized world. He explores the spiritual links forged between the transience of life and eternity, and the cohesive power of music, as demonstrated in a case study on the blues. He sheds light on the literal and symbolic crossings that migrants face daily, as well as the emotional bonds that hold individuals and societies together. Through meticulous and nuanced readings of literature, philosophy, art, and geography, Harrison engages in a profound reflection on how bridges shape and reshape cultural communities. Interdisciplinary and deeply lyrical, Of Bridges is a mesmerizing, dizzying account of bridges both visible and invisible, both experienced and imagined.

The volume positions itself within an interdisciplinary tradition that reads built environments through the lenses of philosophy, literature, and cultural geography. By examining physical structures alongside ideological and mythological tropes, such approaches draw on a long-standing humanities practice of treating infrastructure not merely as utilitarian engineering, but as a repository of human aspiration, memory, and collective imagination.

Thomas Harrison addresses topics including the role of bridges in warfare, the megabridges of contemporary globalization, and the spiritual dimensions linking transience to eternity. The text also investigates the musical resonance of the blues, the physical and symbolic journeys of migrants, and the emotional bonds sustaining communities. Readers interested in the intersections of architecture, philosophy, and cultural history may find these explorations relevant to broader discussions on how physical structures shape human societies.