The Potteries represent one of the oldest conurbations in Britain, dating from the industrial revolution, and the only one actually named after its primary industry; the six towns comprising the region in the West Midlands were officially merged at the beginning of the 20th century, and now contain over half a million people. Scholars from a wide range of disciplines present 19 studies on the regional setting, the development, and the contemporary situation. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.