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Literary London
One of the world’s greatest literary cities, London has streets full of stories and buildings steeped in history. The biggest and most beloved names in English literature have all been here, and you can still see or visit their stomping grounds and favorite places. Follow Oscar Wilde from the literary salons to Clapham Junction; roam with Julian McClaren Ross through Fitzrovia, dropping in for a pint or three with Dylan Thomas at the Bricklayers’ Arms; muse darkly over the Thames with Spencer, Eliot, and Conrad; and watch aghast as Lord Byron terrorizes his publisher on Albermarle Street. Moving through time and genre, from Spencer and Shakespeare to Amis and Barnes, from tragedy and romance to chick-lit and science fiction, Literary London is a snappy and informative guide, showing just why—as another famous local writer put it—he who is tired of London is tired of life.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2016
24 people are currently reading
366 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
June 11, 2022
If you really want to know more about London away from trodden tourists' paths you definitely should have a look here. So many famous authors through history visited or lived in this magnificent city. You still find many places, houses or graves left and can focus on some of the best tours you'll ever make in your life. Well, if you're tired of London, you're tired of life, Dr Johnson once said. This is the definitive guide for discovering literary London. With the ideas of the author you'll return to London for many times. Promised. Many great pubs included. Highly recommended!
June 24, 2024
I do love to travel places with some good literature references attached. This book gives its readers a plenty of fascinating insights into the city of London which might make any trip there richer to a bookworm.
April 27, 2018
3.5 -4? Very interesting, though brief, overview of the bookish goings-on in this great city, both within and without the pages.
November 18, 2022
Literary London explores all the landmarks around the city of London where well-known writers have lived, explored, and wrote. This book was not only informative but really well-written, with humour and banter sprinkled throughout the pages to make for an enjoyable read that does not feel like reading a textbook. I love that there is a little list of landmarks and their addresses at the end of each chapter to encourage readers to visit these places– especially as a local Londoner, it gives me an excuse to play tourist and explore my city through a different lens.
I especially enjoyed the chapter 'Bloomsberries and Backstabbers'– the anecdote about this group of writers canoodling with each other and each other's partners. As Dorothy Parker bluntly puts it: "They lived in squares, painted in circles, and loved in triangles".
4 stars
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Star ratings and their meanings:
★★★★★: I loved everything about this book! I would re-read it and would highly recommend it to you, your family and your cat!
★★★★: I liked it. I didn’t love it but I still liked it enough to still rate it highly. I could see myself still recommending this book to a lot of people
★★★: It was an okay book. There maybe have been a few things that bothered me while reading this book but for the most parts the likes outweigh the dislikes.
★★: the cons outweigh the pros, unfortunately. There might be some things that were lacking in some areas—writing, characterisation, plot etc, but there may have been a few moments that I liked.
★: Nope. I should've just appreciated this book from afar.
I especially enjoyed the chapter 'Bloomsberries and Backstabbers'– the anecdote about this group of writers canoodling with each other and each other's partners. As Dorothy Parker bluntly puts it: "They lived in squares, painted in circles, and loved in triangles".
4 stars
Novelstorian (Blog) ✨ Instagram ✨ Twitter ✨
Star ratings and their meanings:
★★★★★: I loved everything about this book! I would re-read it and would highly recommend it to you, your family and your cat!
★★★★: I liked it. I didn’t love it but I still liked it enough to still rate it highly. I could see myself still recommending this book to a lot of people
★★★: It was an okay book. There maybe have been a few things that bothered me while reading this book but for the most parts the likes outweigh the dislikes.
★★: the cons outweigh the pros, unfortunately. There might be some things that were lacking in some areas—writing, characterisation, plot etc, but there may have been a few moments that I liked.
★: Nope. I should've just appreciated this book from afar.
February 22, 2024
This was a fun read, and I’m so glad I bought it at the British Museum gift shop. The problem is, it’s given me so many more places to visit in London, as well as so many more books to read!
October 3, 2016
Chronicles of Literary London
As author Anthony Trevelyan says of Literary London: “A pungent sense of the capital on every page”.
Literary London is an incredibly attractive book with a scraper board cover design, engraved with authors and literary highlights of London, all in stunning black and white, and touches of blue for the river, and ochre in the title (and we rather niftily pick up the ochre theme at the British Library in London for our photo!).
The research for this book must have been staggering. It charts the early days of literature from Chaucer, through Shakespeare to the modern day, all with a twist of insight, quirkiness and humour. This is quite a seminal book of literary London. It is punctuated with drawings and little maps and at the end of each chapter there are key addresses and recommended reading so you can look up the places and people mentioned, and read the books listed for yourself.
The general starting point is Chaucer. The Tabard Inn, which no long exists on Borough High Street, was the assembly point for his Pilgrims setting out on their adventures. The Tabard was in its day close to the George Inn (now owned by the National Trust) which is highlighted because it is the one remaining galleried structure in London, typical of the 17th century, where one can still get a flavour of the the times of Shakespeare, who naturally gets a good mention in the book. The George Inn is still a working pub today, and justifiably it is a great lure for tourists.
The narrative smoothly moves forward and it is quite striking how the Great Fire of London on 2nd September 1666 (which has just recently been marked in the capital) caused such devastation, described by various chroniclers of the time, how the terrible fire was very much part of the fabric of literary London of the time. This is followed by chapters full of more great names right up to the modern day.
Charming nuggets of the lives of the good and great have been selected throughout to add a real human dimension to what is essentially a chronicle of writers in the city. There is Pepys showering a maid with amorous intent in St Dunstan’s Church, and culinary ruminations on a kickshaw (a dish so changed by the cookery that it can scarcely be known), JM Barry writing in Bayswater about the Barrys, whose house was actually in Bloomsbury. And so it continues: Raymond Chandler, Joe Orton, Byron, Shelley, Lenin, Agatha Christie, Dorian Grey, the list never really ends….The book is divided into sections, so it easy to dip in and out and read at leisure, and just soak up a particular period or theme.
Whilst in the capital myself I was struck by how many areas were of note and having read this book, it made me look around the city in a slightly new and different way…..
Walking down Marchmont Street I visualised the odd ménage a trois between Lytton Strachey, Vanessa Bell and Virginia Woolf of the Bloomsbury Group (who were generally very free with their amorous liaisons). As I walked through Gordon Square I thought of Virginia Woolf, cited as belittling her neighbour Katherine Mansfield whilst they lived on that square. However, that was nothing compared to George Bernard Shaw and H G Wells when they decided to lock horns. I was really struck by how undermining the culture of the literati at that time was, scoring points at the expense of others and royally sticking the verbal knife into competitors and friends, just to get the upper hand. But then I reflected, is it much different today in politics today? Prime Minister’s Questions? Clinton versus Trump? It’s not an attractive way of being, and am baffled that people still do it. But I digress…
“Drinking and literature in London have always gone together” and as such El Vino in Fleet Street is described as an institution enjoyed by G K Chesterton (whose Father Brown series is set around London); and Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese has been a draw for several centuries (however, no-one ever seems to mention that this esteemed institution was once a brothel as well, and the only reason I know about that is because I have read an academic paper on the wonderful wall tiles that were discovered there demonstrating in relief (no pun intended) the various positions available to clients).
Not of course forgetting Paddington Bear who trotted around London and longed to be an assistant in Fortnum and Mason’s Marmalade Department (unfortunately that department doesn’t exist in real life, although the “Home of the Hamper” on Piccadilly certainly does very much exist).
Literary London is an interesting and eclectic read that beautifully brings together the rich heritage of London writing life.
As author Anthony Trevelyan says of Literary London: “A pungent sense of the capital on every page”.
Literary London is an incredibly attractive book with a scraper board cover design, engraved with authors and literary highlights of London, all in stunning black and white, and touches of blue for the river, and ochre in the title (and we rather niftily pick up the ochre theme at the British Library in London for our photo!).
The research for this book must have been staggering. It charts the early days of literature from Chaucer, through Shakespeare to the modern day, all with a twist of insight, quirkiness and humour. This is quite a seminal book of literary London. It is punctuated with drawings and little maps and at the end of each chapter there are key addresses and recommended reading so you can look up the places and people mentioned, and read the books listed for yourself.
The general starting point is Chaucer. The Tabard Inn, which no long exists on Borough High Street, was the assembly point for his Pilgrims setting out on their adventures. The Tabard was in its day close to the George Inn (now owned by the National Trust) which is highlighted because it is the one remaining galleried structure in London, typical of the 17th century, where one can still get a flavour of the the times of Shakespeare, who naturally gets a good mention in the book. The George Inn is still a working pub today, and justifiably it is a great lure for tourists.
The narrative smoothly moves forward and it is quite striking how the Great Fire of London on 2nd September 1666 (which has just recently been marked in the capital) caused such devastation, described by various chroniclers of the time, how the terrible fire was very much part of the fabric of literary London of the time. This is followed by chapters full of more great names right up to the modern day.
Charming nuggets of the lives of the good and great have been selected throughout to add a real human dimension to what is essentially a chronicle of writers in the city. There is Pepys showering a maid with amorous intent in St Dunstan’s Church, and culinary ruminations on a kickshaw (a dish so changed by the cookery that it can scarcely be known), JM Barry writing in Bayswater about the Barrys, whose house was actually in Bloomsbury. And so it continues: Raymond Chandler, Joe Orton, Byron, Shelley, Lenin, Agatha Christie, Dorian Grey, the list never really ends….The book is divided into sections, so it easy to dip in and out and read at leisure, and just soak up a particular period or theme.
Whilst in the capital myself I was struck by how many areas were of note and having read this book, it made me look around the city in a slightly new and different way…..
Walking down Marchmont Street I visualised the odd ménage a trois between Lytton Strachey, Vanessa Bell and Virginia Woolf of the Bloomsbury Group (who were generally very free with their amorous liaisons). As I walked through Gordon Square I thought of Virginia Woolf, cited as belittling her neighbour Katherine Mansfield whilst they lived on that square. However, that was nothing compared to George Bernard Shaw and H G Wells when they decided to lock horns. I was really struck by how undermining the culture of the literati at that time was, scoring points at the expense of others and royally sticking the verbal knife into competitors and friends, just to get the upper hand. But then I reflected, is it much different today in politics today? Prime Minister’s Questions? Clinton versus Trump? It’s not an attractive way of being, and am baffled that people still do it. But I digress…
“Drinking and literature in London have always gone together” and as such El Vino in Fleet Street is described as an institution enjoyed by G K Chesterton (whose Father Brown series is set around London); and Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese has been a draw for several centuries (however, no-one ever seems to mention that this esteemed institution was once a brothel as well, and the only reason I know about that is because I have read an academic paper on the wonderful wall tiles that were discovered there demonstrating in relief (no pun intended) the various positions available to clients).
Not of course forgetting Paddington Bear who trotted around London and longed to be an assistant in Fortnum and Mason’s Marmalade Department (unfortunately that department doesn’t exist in real life, although the “Home of the Hamper” on Piccadilly certainly does very much exist).
Literary London is an interesting and eclectic read that beautifully brings together the rich heritage of London writing life.
September 21, 2016
I loved this book. It's highly readable and full to bursting with interesting facts about writers and their work whilst living in London, the literary centre of the universe :) And it introduced me to some writers/books I didn't know about.
March 8, 2024
Literature and London will always be synonymous with each other. That's why if you're an avid reader and find yourself preparing for a trip to the city, this has to be on your packing list. It paints a picture of every era, from Shakespearean playwrights to the bohemians to the mystery writers' clubs, alongside some of their favored haunts and places of residence. Of course, this is not a comprehensive guide because that book's size would be enormous. But as a travel companion to pique the interests of bibliophiles, Literary London provides fantastic anecdotes, interesting factoids, pub crawl and restaurant locations, and hilarious tidbits/observations from the greatest London writers.
April 1, 2025
Frankly appalled that Yeats and Crowley’s daylight wizard duel wasn’t taught to me in the 4 yrs I spent studying English Literature. Whats the POINT then.
August 3, 2016
Literary London, by Eloise Millar and Sam Jordison, is a book that should be read by all lovers of literature who wish to explore our vibrant and ever changing capital city. It is an entertaining guide to London’s literary history from the fourteenth century to the present day. It includes anecdotes on the literati who have congregated in the many pubs and clubs, made their homes in the garrets and mansions, and got together to forge friendships and rivalries. As well as offering up snippets on the writers’ lives, there are maps showing where they lived and worked that readers may walk in their footsteps, or refresh themselves in the watering holes frequented along the way.
In the late twelfth century Richard of Devizes, a monk passing through the city, wrote:
“You will come to London […] I warn you, whatever of evil or of perversity there is in any, whatever in all parts of the world, you will find in that city alone.”
Not to be put off by such a warning, many came. Indeed, even in the fourteenth century Londoners considered themselves a cut above the rest of the country. An eyewitness account of the Peasents’ Revolt described the rebels who invaded as:
“nasty, dirty countrymen, and certainly not from London.”
The authors have divided their commentary into twenty-one sections that readers may easily dip in and out should they wish to explore particular themes. For example, ‘Crime’ looks at many of the detective novels based in the city, and tells of The London Detection Club, a society for writers that still exists today. The code of ethics members must pledge to abide by is included, aimed at sustaining the quality of each author’s work and ensuring their readers be given “a fair chance at guessing the guilty party”.
Although this book focuses on well known and regarded writers, there is acknowledgement of subjectivity in judging literary merit. In the section ‘Modernists and Vorticists’, a series of abstract poems by Edith Sitwell could be described as “an experimental masterpiece or mere doggerel.” There are accounts of sackings by magazine publishers for “liberality towards experimentalists”. The TLS describes a poem by Prufrock as having “no relation to poetry.”
Sitwell and her contemporaries liked to dress up and wear strange face paints. Writers throughout the ages appear to have been fuelled by debauchery and a predilection for the bizarre. This notority was regarded as even less acceptable for women, many of whom changed their names to achieve publication. The fight continues against “the ingrained idea that women should in their spare time knit, sew and leave the thinking to the men”.
Each section finishes with details of key addresses (including closest tube station) and a list of recommended reading. Of course, many of the places mentioned no longer exist. Pubs in which writers congregated have been replaced by chain restaurants, entire streets have been erased for modern development. Where possible, however, the reader may seek out literary landmarks where the stories told here were lived.
There is a guide to a Dickensian pub crawl, a helpful map comparing Shakespeare’s Bankside to Bankside as it is today, a list of addresses where the Bloomsberries held their famous salons, restaurants where readers may “Eat like a Spy”. Talking of spies, there is also a little anecdote within these pages explaining how James Bond got his code number. It is the plethora of snippets such as this which make the book such a joy to read.
From Paddington Bear and Peter Rabbit through to Chaucer’s pilgrims, the lives of London writers and their creations are chronicled for the reader’s delectation. It does not profess to be a comprehensive compendium but the nuggets shared are enlightening. The writing is consistently and assuredly entertaining.
Read from cover to cover then dip into at will. Having discovered the places that nurtured and inspired these London writers, you may well be inspired to make a few outings of your own.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the authors.
In the late twelfth century Richard of Devizes, a monk passing through the city, wrote:
“You will come to London […] I warn you, whatever of evil or of perversity there is in any, whatever in all parts of the world, you will find in that city alone.”
Not to be put off by such a warning, many came. Indeed, even in the fourteenth century Londoners considered themselves a cut above the rest of the country. An eyewitness account of the Peasents’ Revolt described the rebels who invaded as:
“nasty, dirty countrymen, and certainly not from London.”
The authors have divided their commentary into twenty-one sections that readers may easily dip in and out should they wish to explore particular themes. For example, ‘Crime’ looks at many of the detective novels based in the city, and tells of The London Detection Club, a society for writers that still exists today. The code of ethics members must pledge to abide by is included, aimed at sustaining the quality of each author’s work and ensuring their readers be given “a fair chance at guessing the guilty party”.
Although this book focuses on well known and regarded writers, there is acknowledgement of subjectivity in judging literary merit. In the section ‘Modernists and Vorticists’, a series of abstract poems by Edith Sitwell could be described as “an experimental masterpiece or mere doggerel.” There are accounts of sackings by magazine publishers for “liberality towards experimentalists”. The TLS describes a poem by Prufrock as having “no relation to poetry.”
Sitwell and her contemporaries liked to dress up and wear strange face paints. Writers throughout the ages appear to have been fuelled by debauchery and a predilection for the bizarre. This notority was regarded as even less acceptable for women, many of whom changed their names to achieve publication. The fight continues against “the ingrained idea that women should in their spare time knit, sew and leave the thinking to the men”.
Each section finishes with details of key addresses (including closest tube station) and a list of recommended reading. Of course, many of the places mentioned no longer exist. Pubs in which writers congregated have been replaced by chain restaurants, entire streets have been erased for modern development. Where possible, however, the reader may seek out literary landmarks where the stories told here were lived.
There is a guide to a Dickensian pub crawl, a helpful map comparing Shakespeare’s Bankside to Bankside as it is today, a list of addresses where the Bloomsberries held their famous salons, restaurants where readers may “Eat like a Spy”. Talking of spies, there is also a little anecdote within these pages explaining how James Bond got his code number. It is the plethora of snippets such as this which make the book such a joy to read.
From Paddington Bear and Peter Rabbit through to Chaucer’s pilgrims, the lives of London writers and their creations are chronicled for the reader’s delectation. It does not profess to be a comprehensive compendium but the nuggets shared are enlightening. The writing is consistently and assuredly entertaining.
Read from cover to cover then dip into at will. Having discovered the places that nurtured and inspired these London writers, you may well be inspired to make a few outings of your own.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the authors.
May 16, 2018
It is loaded with a lot of info about London based writers but not the kind of info I was expecting to find. If you are traveling to London and want to know more about the literary places there, this is not the book you should be reading. If you are a casual reader just trying to learn about some not-so-well known British authors, then this book will work for you. The authors spend most of their time talking about authors that I have never heard of and don’t really care about. I am more interested in locations associated with well known authors, which they hardly talk about.
Many of the famous authors like Somerset Maugham, Jane Austen aren’t even mentioned in passing. And some of the other prolific authors like Enid Blyton are mentioned in passing, while talking about A.A.Milne. They talk about Charlotte and Anne Bronte and there is no mention of Emily Bronte.
If you call your book”Literary London”, make it comprehensive enough to at least cover all the famous authors and their works. You cannot choose to include only authors that you might be interested in.
Also the locations and anecdotes mentioned mostly had something to do with someone’s personal life. I wish they had focused more on the writing careers than gossips about the authors’ love affairs.
It was an okay one time read.
Many of the famous authors like Somerset Maugham, Jane Austen aren’t even mentioned in passing. And some of the other prolific authors like Enid Blyton are mentioned in passing, while talking about A.A.Milne. They talk about Charlotte and Anne Bronte and there is no mention of Emily Bronte.
If you call your book”Literary London”, make it comprehensive enough to at least cover all the famous authors and their works. You cannot choose to include only authors that you might be interested in.
Also the locations and anecdotes mentioned mostly had something to do with someone’s personal life. I wish they had focused more on the writing careers than gossips about the authors’ love affairs.
It was an okay one time read.
November 6, 2016
I found the book full of interesting tidbits and atmospheric descriptions which made me want to return to London to visit the places mentioned where the old writers drank and argued, schemed and entertained, and most importantly, shared with others all that London has to offer.
February 7, 2017
I really liked this book. l think towards the end it was more of a review of books than places that were significant in the literary world but I still really enjoyed it.
May 15, 2017
my link text
Where do I start? This is just the perfect book for any literary lover –
The chapters start by telling you about the journey London has gone on from its humble beginnings to the metropolis of today. It was like stepping back in a time machine and finding your way with the authors in turn, the guides of the social, political, cultural and of course Literary London of its time.
Can you tell how much this book fascinated me? It’s even got key addresses and further reading lists after each easy to read and descriptive chapters. Such bold titles too ‘Beginners and Immortals” was the first – Chaucer, Shakespeare….so often I think we forget about the faded footsteps of those who have walked centuries before us.
Little grey boxes of extra info peppered the journey like those blue literary plaques on the walls…. You can literally walk in and out of this book as the mood suits and of course each chapter is a trail in itself – and a mountain of knowledge at the same time.
The text is fresh and witty and then when I got to chapter four “Mystics and Magicians” like on a wayward Hogwarts broom, I was flung into the London ether – graveyards, angels and demons…. ghosts. I may not be brave enough to read in the dark but if you do I can only imagine sitting in some of these places when the light starts to fade. Never mind the Jack the Ripper tours – this is a whole new London thrill!
There’s so much to this book that one short review doesn’t even get close to the literary love affair I now have with London and this book. Gossips and Rivals was another favourite “London has nurtured many fond literary friendships” it starts describing the way writers huddle in cafes….and where readers go to ‘meet’ them either for real or via their books
It’s not just the literary leanings which are prominent but the landscape and the changes that the city has seen and experienced and even those it has been at the forefront of. A history lesson as well as a literary one but one that reads like a ride on that Hogwarts broom stick when your game of Quidditch is polished and ready,
A literary gem
November 26, 2023
I don't read a lot of non-fiction books but this one piqued my interest as I'm currently living in London. Literary London is split into chapters governed by genre rather than a strict time line but naturally falls into a rough chronological line. Full of historical facts and information about the authors who lived in that time, each chapter ends with a list of locations and recommended books for that genre. Kensington, where I'm living, features heavily throughout the time periods and I look forward to further exploring my area, looking for the blue plaques denoting the residence of the authors. Well written and interesting, I would recommend this to anyone who lives in or knows London and can picture the areas being written about.
January 4, 2019
Absolutely everything I had hoped for in a book with the title 'Literary London'. Reading it while travelling in the Great City itself made me experience London in a way I never had before - all the streets I walked down and the buildings I visited were suddenly steeped in a personal history that made the past come alive. Also includes handy and quirky little maps so you can take yourself on themed tours (or even better, pub crawls).
February 1, 2019
Absolutely brilliant!
I can only imagine the years of research that was put into writing this book! Literary London was jam packed full of information about both books and their authors who had an association with London. It was easy to read and very enjoyable. I would happily recommend to other readers.
I can only imagine the years of research that was put into writing this book! Literary London was jam packed full of information about both books and their authors who had an association with London. It was easy to read and very enjoyable. I would happily recommend to other readers.
January 22, 2022
I enjoyed this book - a bit of armchair travel while I’m unable to travel. It’s biggest downfall is it’s length. It’s too short. I would have loved a bit more depth about each of the topics, places and writers. An interesting read but just enough to pique my interest but not enough to fully satisfy it.
December 29, 2017
I read this cover to cover which I don't think is how it is best enjoyed but I still found it an interesting read. One that I will probably revisit if I decide to venture to any of the specific addresses listed.
January 16, 2022
This book is not only chock full of history and places and stories about one of the world's most famous cities, it's also full of author personality in a way that just makes it such a fun read.
Such a clever way to look at the impactful and important places of a city as ancient as London.
Such a clever way to look at the impactful and important places of a city as ancient as London.
May 8, 2017
I owe a review for this great book!
June 3, 2018
Good overall look at London's Literary history and runs from roman times to the present day practically taking us through tales of authors, books and places along the way.
April 22, 2020
It was a lovely trip around London through ages filled with anecdotes and stories about the well and less known from the literary world.
June 25, 2024
Covers a lot of ground, so not a lot of depth here. But a very enjoyable read and I learned some stuff.
September 5, 2024
This was so fun!!
December 28, 2025
Creo que es una buena guía para ir al Londres literario, pero para leer en casa tiene demasiados datos para poder recordarlo en su mayoría.
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June 1, 2017If I ever go to London, I will take this book as a tour guide to follow in the footsteps of English literature authors and visit famous landmarks
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews