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The Bespoke Society: A Guide To... London

Jeremy Liebster (Goodreads Author)

4.25 · Rating details · 16 ratings · 15 reviews

"Sparse... some glaring omissions" - FoodPorn London

"Only page 23 is of mild interest" - http: //www.londonpetlover.com

"Wow!!! A genuinely bespoke city guide!!!" - Tommy Sponge, Chairman, The Bespokist Society

One of the most curated city guides ever created. As the first travel book produced by the hugely influential Bespokist Society, this handy guide takes you to a Londo ...more

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ebook, 121 pages

Published April 1st 2018 by Acorn Independent Press

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Jul 02, 2018 Whispering Stories rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Book Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com

I knew before I started reading this book that it was a spoof, however, not being from London and having only visited a handful of times (mainly staying down the road from Euston Station), I wasn’t quite sure whether some of the places mentioned actually existed and the authors were taking the mick out of them, or, that they had been completely made up. Judging by the fact I tried googling a few it shows you how well put together this book is – ...more

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Aug 12, 2018 Dash fan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: blog-tour, favorites, i-own-a-copy, profile, publisher-review

5☆ A Quirky light hearted Fun Guide.
The Perfect Present!

The Bespokist Society - Guide to London is a quirky pocket sized fun book about the hip and happening hot spots of London.

Firstly I just want to say this is not a real guide!
It's a spoof, that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. It made me laugh, smile, nod my head in amusement and made me want to visit some of these gems!

The Bespokist Society - Guide to London takes the reader on a 24hour journey through some of London's happening places.
From e ...more

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Jun 28, 2018 Paul rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-2018

London is one of the most famous cities in the world drawing visitors from all over the globe to see the sights; who take selfies in front of the sights and generally get in the way of people in London who are trying to get on with their own lives. You would have thought that there are enough guides for London, but here is a new guide for this dynamic city, one that will take you to places that you never knew existed, explore trends that you may not have come across and meet those that are at th London is one of the most famous cities in the world drawing visitors from all over the globe to see the sights; who take selfies in front of the sights and generally get in the way of people in London who are trying to get on with their own lives. You would have thought that there are enough guides for London, but here is a new guide for this dynamic city, one that will take you to places that you never knew existed, explore trends that you may not have come across and meet those that are at the sharpest edges of urban chic.

Feeling hungry? Then a visit to the V-Gastro will leave you amazed, but still hungry. Visit, See it, Say it, Sorted for the very best in the cultural response to the London Transport catchphrase. In need of a drink? Then a session at the Sweat Shop might be up your street; get to work an ancient Singer sewing machine and imbue the latest in graft gins. If you end up with a hangover to di for, then coffee is called for. For that, The Coffee Preachers are your people, taking the ristretto to the very pinnacle of coffee adoration. There are other gems; have a unique bespoke key made, go to the Launderette coffee shop to feel part of the community whilst still having superfast wifi and stand up desks, and experience the very latest in gyms by taking a trip to Gondoliers.

Hipsters try to set themselves apart from culture as a whole, while simultaneously remaining within the culture.

As you may have guessed by now, this book is a parody. It sets about totally ripping the piss out of the Hipster culture and their obsession with the tiniest detail, the most obscure origin for an ingredient, the perfect details in an experience and the way that they almost exclusively miss the big picture. It can kind of be summed up with this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBb9O...

That video still makes me chuckle every time I see it. If you have a hipster friend and want to understand what drives them, this is as good a place to starts as any. Expertly done, brilliantly crafted and highly amusing. ...more

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Jul 03, 2018 Susan Hampson rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Well this is a little gem of a read! Welcome to a truly got to have guide for places to visit in London that you would never find on your own and it is a perfect pocket-book size to ensure that it is handy to refer back to. Divided into five sections of North, South, East, West and Central London it ensures days out that covers everything that you will need, from eating, sight-seeing, theatre, sleeping and a loo that is a must pit stop for a wee while. I mean why spend a penny when you could spe ...more

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Jun 22, 2018 Stephanie Jane rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: travel

See more of my book reviews on my blog, Literary Flits

As you might have spotted from the publishing date, The Bespokust Society Guide to ... London is a joke, but it's a very clever and funny one that repeatedly had me giggling. At first glance simply a regular city guide, albeit one illustrated with particularly moody monochrome photography, this one pokes fun at the pretentiousness of a certain type of city lifestyle. As someone who visits London every once in a while and usually goes to Brixt ...more

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May 19, 2018 Rachel Gilbey rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Sheer genius, or completely insane? Well I have been trying to decide that the whole time I was reading this book, and the only conclusion I can come to is that it has been written by some intelligent people, with a smart wit and some fantastic ideas.

Being a Londoner there is no way you would catch me reading a real travel guide to London, as lets face it I know the bits I know and who ever explores the place they live? However The Bespokist Society Guide to London is a spoof travel guide that ...more

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Jul 24, 2018 Jackie Law rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The Bespokist Society: Guide to… London is a carefully curated guide to the dreamiest, most hipster, creative places to go in our historic yet vibrant capital city. It embraces the artisan, the carefully sourced, the importance of experiencing. It includes interviews and features that bring to the fore the values of the team behind this pocket sized cornucopia of well hidden delights. As co-author Nastya Petrov advises in her introduction,

“if you’re bored of London, you just need to spend more m ...more

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Jul 07, 2018 Ankita Singh rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs

Review coming soon!

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Jul 22, 2018 Donna Maguire rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018-books-read, book-reviews, comedy

https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...

is a witty book with a novel approach to all things 'BS' in London... and I had really high hopes when reading the book.

The sections are great, it is easy to read and the layout is great. It had a few funny bits and places listed to make me titter but it wasn't really my sense of humour and I am genuinely saddened as I so wanted to like the book!

It is a great concept but it is 3 from me (just wasn't a book for me), don't let my review put you off though a ...more

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Aug 03, 2018 Julie Morris rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I am sure that other globe-trotting book lovers will have the same affliction that I do, which is the compulsion to buy a guide book as soon as you have booked a break to a new destination. Even in these days of instant access to all the information you ever need at the click of a mouse, I still love to have a physical guide book in my hands when I travel. This is particularly true when I am taking a city break and trying to pack as much as possible into two or three days. I am especially fond o I am sure that other globe-trotting book lovers will have the same affliction that I do, which is the compulsion to buy a guide book as soon as you have booked a break to a new destination. Even in these days of instant access to all the information you ever need at the click of a mouse, I still love to have a physical guide book in my hands when I travel. This is particularly true when I am taking a city break and trying to pack as much as possible into two or three days. I am especially fond of the ‘Eyewitness Top 10’ city guides but, having read this book I think I may have found a series to rival them.

I love London and visit regularly but this guide highlights a very specific side of London that is one I haven’t explored much – the hipster London. It contains details on a lot of quirky sights, restaurants, hotels and hotspots that will appeal to people who like everything artisanal, organic and bespoke and I think a visit to London focusing on these attractions which are off the usual beaten tourist track would be a refreshing change. As a mother of 5, I really love the idea of staying at The Enzo and having the kids whisked away for the weekend so we can relax, although I’m sure my partner would prefer a room at The Union with his own ‘pastry butler’. There were several restaurants I had earmarked as possible venue – The Gentle BBQ was one that particularly appealed, and I also half hope I can pass off The Irishman as a homeless man so he can sell the heinous beard he currently sports against my wishes to ‘The Beardy Boy Project’ and use the funds to buy me some artisan egg cups.

Before anyone who has read this book thinks I am either mad or stupid, I can confirm that I am joking and do realise that the book is a satirical take on the kind of pretentious guide book we have all read in the past, and is also taking a searingly accurate swipe at the affected preference for everything ‘bespoke’ by a certain section of society today. It is so cleverly done that you could almost believe this is a genuine travel guide for the achingly hip portion of thirty-somethings that roam the country looking for holidays is genuine shepherds’ huts in the Cotswolds with hand-milked honey from vegan bees and organic hemp four-poster bed curtains on tap.

This book is extremely funny, if you like your satire sharp and observational. I laughed out loud, at the same time as thinking ‘ouch’ as parts of it cut very close to the bone. I can imagine some people thinking that parts of it sounded like quite a good idea – the aforementioned ‘Gentle BBQ’ being a case in point – and I am fairly sure that place like ‘Little Foodies’ probably exist. And, if anyone wants to open a branch of ‘Elevenses’ in my home town, I would definitely visit. I have been thinking about their Rich Tea biscuits ever since I read the description! Parts of it also made me cringe (The Whitlow?!!!)

This is a small book, cleverly made to look like a pocket travel guide, and is one you can dip in and out of if you feel like a few minutes of light relief. It bears careful reading so you don’t miss any of the tiny, clever little details that make this such a joy. The entry for The Fishy Finger is my particular favourite example of the writer slipping in a minute, seemingly irrelevant detail that you could miss if you blink but creates real joy in your heart is you catch it. The entry for Good Life made my heart sing and had me smiling every time I thought about it afterwards.

I really enjoyed this little, quirky, clever book and it will appeal to anyone who loves satirical humour. Should not be read by genuine tourists or easily-offended hipsters. ...more

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Aug 03, 2018 Steph Warren rated it really liked it · review of another edition

*I received a free ARC of this book via Rachel’s Random Resources blog tour and the author/s. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*

The Bespokist Society Guide to… London is a pocket-sized parody of British hipster culture.

Masquerading as recommendations for places to eat, drink and be entertained in each compass of the capital city, this is actually a bitingly sharp satire of the modern obsessions with the artisanal, handcrafted, organic, exotically-sourced, ethically-conscious sid ...more

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Aug 06, 2018 Christie72 (Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: funny, non-fiction, humor

What an witty and hilarious read!!! Satire and parody are two of my favorite things, and this book had both.

The layout was genius! It is set up like a genuine travel guide, that is until you quickly see the dry humor. For instance, this passage had me rolling with laughter.

“For a proper afternoon tradition, don’t miss Merlin’s Tea Shoppe near Moorgate, London’s very first dining establishment dating from the time of King Arthur. The service is famously dismissive, the sandwiches cloy and the te ...more

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Aug 23, 2018 Dawn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I chose to read this book after receiving a free copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

The Bespokist Society Guide to London is a tongue in cheek travel guide to London. One of my favorite places listed is the chain of ‘bottom parlors’ that include luxurious toilets, bowel-stimulating music, and bottom butters. I think it tickled me because I wouldn’t be surprised if these parlors popped up somewhere.

Like all city guides, there are plenty of restaurants listed. My ...more

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Aug 07, 2018 Rachel rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Today I have reviewed the truly unique BS Guide to London. This is a spoof guide book, detailing fictional cafes, pop up venues and other weird and wonderful places. My favourite is The Launderette, a revolutionary place where people can go to work, get their Wi-Fi on and wash their smalls. A little book full of fun - some of these places I actually wanted to Google to check they weren't actually a thing! In a world full of zany concepts, I really did enjoy this book - I hope they do more! A Yor ...more

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Aug 06, 2018 Heather added it

This is a tiny book that packs a punch. Even if you've never been to London, if you've lived in a place inhabited by hipsters, you will understand this book.

In this guide you will find out about the latest and greatest restaurants that require you to make all your own food. You will find out about bicycling groups that never end. You will find tailors that use only archaic tool and refuse to discuss a price.

This is a book that you can dip in and out of instead of reading like a story. Thi ...more

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