Contract signed with Polity Press for a new history of circadian rhythms

I am delighted to announce that my second book, Body Clock: A History, is under contract with Polity. As a part of their Histories of Health and Illness series, this book will be the first history of circadian rhythms. Following a broad temporal sweep from the ancient world to contemporary chronobiology, it will explore the connections between rhythmicity and health across periods and cultures. Taking inspiration from our modern obsession with the potential of chronobiology (and chronomedicine) to revolutionize our health and wellbeing, I will argue that questions of timing, health and rhythms have a long history. Often overlooked due to their everyday nature, daily rhythms of eating, sleeping, waking, exercising, and excreting intersect to bind us as beings in time. While sleep will be a core interest of the book, I will try and connect sleep with these other circadian rhythms to unravel a sense of daily health concerns.

With many thanks to the acquisitions team at Polity Press for all their feedback in developing the proposal. I am looking forward to seeing this come together!