Canals hold a unique place in British culture, with associations of lazy summer afternoons, journeying through lush green countryside. But as Liz Mc Ivor explains in the book to accompany her BBC series, the story of our canals is also the story of how modern Britain was born. It was the canals that helped open up the trade of the Industrial Revolution, furthered the new science of geology, & even ushered in a new form of architecture. The legacy of our canals is all around us. In What the Canals Did for Us, Mc Ivor takes us on a journey across the network of English canals to tell a deeper story of how our waterways changed our lives. It`s a very modern tale, full of high finance & greedy investors, cheap labour & the struggle for workers` rights, & new frontiers in family & child welfare. It`s a unique & compelling exploration of Britain`s golden age.