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The Book Lover's Guide to London
Many of the greatest names in literature have visited or made their home in the colourful and diverse metropolis of London. From Charles Dickens to George Orwell, Virginia Woolf to Bernadine Evaristo, London’s writers have bought the city to life through some of the best known and loved stories and characters in fiction.
This book takes you on an area-by-area journey through London to discover the stories behind the stories told in some of the most famous novels, plays and poems written in, or about, the city.
• Find out which poet almost lost one of his most important manuscripts in a Soho pub.
• Discover how Graham Greene managed to survive the German bomb that destroyed his Clapham home.
• Climb down the dingy steps from London Bridge to Thames path below and imagine how it felt to be Nancy trying to save Oliver Twist, only to then meet her own violent death.
• Drink in same pub Bram Stoker listened to the ghost stories that inspired Dracula, the plush drinking house where Noel Coward performed, and the bars and cafes frequented by modern writers.
• Tour the locations where London’s writers, and their characters lived, worked, played, loved, lost and died.
This is the first literature guide to London to be fully illustrated with beautiful colour photographs throughout the book. This unique book can be used a guidebook on a physical journey through London, or as a treasury of fascinating, often obscure tales and information for book lovers to read wherever they are.
This book takes you on an area-by-area journey through London to discover the stories behind the stories told in some of the most famous novels, plays and poems written in, or about, the city.
• Find out which poet almost lost one of his most important manuscripts in a Soho pub.
• Discover how Graham Greene managed to survive the German bomb that destroyed his Clapham home.
• Climb down the dingy steps from London Bridge to Thames path below and imagine how it felt to be Nancy trying to save Oliver Twist, only to then meet her own violent death.
• Drink in same pub Bram Stoker listened to the ghost stories that inspired Dracula, the plush drinking house where Noel Coward performed, and the bars and cafes frequented by modern writers.
• Tour the locations where London’s writers, and their characters lived, worked, played, loved, lost and died.
This is the first literature guide to London to be fully illustrated with beautiful colour photographs throughout the book. This unique book can be used a guidebook on a physical journey through London, or as a treasury of fascinating, often obscure tales and information for book lovers to read wherever they are.
128 pages, Paperback
First published November 30, 2021
14 people are currently reading
99 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
March 12, 2022
This was a fun read and visual feast! I especially enjoyed reading about areas of London that I am familiar with that feature some of my favorite authors. I learned something new on each page, which kept my interest piqued.
For example, I was filled with excitement to be able to visit the British Library a few years ago and see the original manuscript of Alice in Wonderland, however I didn’t know that “when Charles Dickens acquired a reader’s ticket on his eighteenth birthday in 1830, he set himself the goal of researching the entire history of England and the Complete Works of Shakespeare.” Additionally, I discovered that other famous authors such as “Bram Stoker, James Joyce and Arthur Conan Doyle” spent time at the British Library researching various topics for their books.
The Borough features in The Old Curiosity Shop and Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens and Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding. When I think of Borough, I think of Borough Market and I recall the scent of spicy cuisine wafting enticingly as we moved from staff to stall making our choices for lunch. I was interested to learn that it is in fact “the oldest fruit and vegetable market in London” and featured in The Pickwick Papers, also by Dickens.
Also in Borough is The George “one of London’s oldest pubs and its only remaining galleried pub.” I had a pint there once, but didn’t recall what galleried meant, so I looked it up, a galleried pub was used for Elizabethan theatrical productions. The George “nicknamed ‘Shakespeare’s local’” continues to be a venue for productions of Shakespeare’s plays during the summertime.
I recall arriving at Covent Garden just in time to hear an impromptu rendition of Ave Maria by a young woman, which held me enthralled for some minutes. Covent Garden is also where one of my favorite urban fantasy series began, Ben Aaronovitch’s “Rivers of London.”
While on vacation, Michael Dobbs became an author incidentally. What began as a “doodle about his experiences in Parliament, simply as a ‘holiday distraction’ […] led to the political thriller House of Cards (1989).
Similarly, “C.S. Lewis was inspired with the idea for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1850) during a snowy afternoon walk on Hampstead Heath.”
I was thrilled to read that George Orwell and his wife Eileen lived happily in Canonbury and “became known among their friends and colleagues for their sumptuous high teas, served with strong tea poured from a two-handled gallon-sized pot.” I recall reading his essay on making a good cup of tea some years ago and that he was of the school of thought that the tea should be poured into the cup before the milk.
Peckham is another area of London that I have become somewhat familiar with, and I was delighted to learn that “the much-loved children’s author Enid Blyton, was born near Peckham Rye, on Lordship Lane.” I spent many a happy hour reading about the Famous Five and the Adventures of the Wishing Chair in my childhood days.
Like another reviewer has written, I am glad that the author included a wide range of authors from the classics through present day. In fact, the author states in the introduction that “this book is a guide to London’s writers, from Geoffrey Chaucer in 1400 up to the present day.” I have highlighted a few here, however there are many, many more to discover and enjoy.
For example, I was filled with excitement to be able to visit the British Library a few years ago and see the original manuscript of Alice in Wonderland, however I didn’t know that “when Charles Dickens acquired a reader’s ticket on his eighteenth birthday in 1830, he set himself the goal of researching the entire history of England and the Complete Works of Shakespeare.” Additionally, I discovered that other famous authors such as “Bram Stoker, James Joyce and Arthur Conan Doyle” spent time at the British Library researching various topics for their books.
The Borough features in The Old Curiosity Shop and Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens and Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding. When I think of Borough, I think of Borough Market and I recall the scent of spicy cuisine wafting enticingly as we moved from staff to stall making our choices for lunch. I was interested to learn that it is in fact “the oldest fruit and vegetable market in London” and featured in The Pickwick Papers, also by Dickens.
Also in Borough is The George “one of London’s oldest pubs and its only remaining galleried pub.” I had a pint there once, but didn’t recall what galleried meant, so I looked it up, a galleried pub was used for Elizabethan theatrical productions. The George “nicknamed ‘Shakespeare’s local’” continues to be a venue for productions of Shakespeare’s plays during the summertime.
I recall arriving at Covent Garden just in time to hear an impromptu rendition of Ave Maria by a young woman, which held me enthralled for some minutes. Covent Garden is also where one of my favorite urban fantasy series began, Ben Aaronovitch’s “Rivers of London.”
While on vacation, Michael Dobbs became an author incidentally. What began as a “doodle about his experiences in Parliament, simply as a ‘holiday distraction’ […] led to the political thriller House of Cards (1989).
Similarly, “C.S. Lewis was inspired with the idea for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1850) during a snowy afternoon walk on Hampstead Heath.”
I was thrilled to read that George Orwell and his wife Eileen lived happily in Canonbury and “became known among their friends and colleagues for their sumptuous high teas, served with strong tea poured from a two-handled gallon-sized pot.” I recall reading his essay on making a good cup of tea some years ago and that he was of the school of thought that the tea should be poured into the cup before the milk.
Peckham is another area of London that I have become somewhat familiar with, and I was delighted to learn that “the much-loved children’s author Enid Blyton, was born near Peckham Rye, on Lordship Lane.” I spent many a happy hour reading about the Famous Five and the Adventures of the Wishing Chair in my childhood days.
Like another reviewer has written, I am glad that the author included a wide range of authors from the classics through present day. In fact, the author states in the introduction that “this book is a guide to London’s writers, from Geoffrey Chaucer in 1400 up to the present day.” I have highlighted a few here, however there are many, many more to discover and enjoy.
August 26, 2021
Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley
I am tempted to give this five stars simply because there is a complete list of the books mentioned in the text at the end. An alphabetical list by author’s last name. That is a nice touch in a book designed for readers.
There are other reasons why it should get five stars. Like many readers, Milne focuses on more than one genre. While she covers the greats, such as Dickens and Blake, she also includes more recent and popular authors such Ben Aaronovitch and his Rivers of London series or the poet Linton Kwesi Johnson.
The book is more than places to visit, however. There are factual tidbits, perhaps a bit too much Dickens tidbits (and leaving out the bit about Ellen Ternan is an interesting choice). Milne includes stories about Orwell hosting Wells for dinner as well as more than story about a writer losing his or her virginity. Sometimes on a bed they just brought.
There is a pretty even split between male and female writers and minority authors are well represented. This is a very good guide for any book lover traveling to London.
I am tempted to give this five stars simply because there is a complete list of the books mentioned in the text at the end. An alphabetical list by author’s last name. That is a nice touch in a book designed for readers.
There are other reasons why it should get five stars. Like many readers, Milne focuses on more than one genre. While she covers the greats, such as Dickens and Blake, she also includes more recent and popular authors such Ben Aaronovitch and his Rivers of London series or the poet Linton Kwesi Johnson.
The book is more than places to visit, however. There are factual tidbits, perhaps a bit too much Dickens tidbits (and leaving out the bit about Ellen Ternan is an interesting choice). Milne includes stories about Orwell hosting Wells for dinner as well as more than story about a writer losing his or her virginity. Sometimes on a bed they just brought.
There is a pretty even split between male and female writers and minority authors are well represented. This is a very good guide for any book lover traveling to London.
April 11, 2022
London, England. Present day. Sarah Milne’s The Book Lover’s Guide to London is beautifully illustrated with color photographs and is the only “literature guide to London” to be presented in this manner. This guide can easily be carried as one visits the places associated with the writers that she/he wish to experience. From Daniel Defoe to Charles Dickens to Peter Ackroyd and from Virginia Woolf to Agatha Christie to J.K. Rowling, these truly fine names and many more are found along with their stories in this just right-sized guide to literature in London. I loved it! You will too! 5 stars.
October 3, 2023
Great premise, beautiful pictures, but how can a book about London and literature be so dull? Also, Dickens was literally in every other paragraph - and speaking of, once I saw Oliver Twist quoted as being published in 1938 I started to skim.
June 5, 2022
For a book lover, I don't think there could be a better book than this, maybe only if it told about the whole world, rather than just London, but it would be immense.
So I am content to go through excerpts from the lives of some of my favorite authors, accompanied by very beautiful photos and to discover so many things, which I did not yet know, both about them and their main characters.
Per un amante dei libri, non credo possa esserci un libro migliore di questo, forse soltanto se raccontasse di tutto il mondo, piuttosto che solo di Londra, ma sarebbe immenso.
Quindi mi accontento di ripercorrere stralci della vita di alcuni dei miei autori preferiti, accompagnati da foto molto belle e di scoprire tante cose, che non ancora non sapevo, sia su di loro che sui loro personaggi principali.
I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.
So I am content to go through excerpts from the lives of some of my favorite authors, accompanied by very beautiful photos and to discover so many things, which I did not yet know, both about them and their main characters.
Per un amante dei libri, non credo possa esserci un libro migliore di questo, forse soltanto se raccontasse di tutto il mondo, piuttosto che solo di Londra, ma sarebbe immenso.
Quindi mi accontento di ripercorrere stralci della vita di alcuni dei miei autori preferiti, accompagnati da foto molto belle e di scoprire tante cose, che non ancora non sapevo, sia su di loro che sui loro personaggi principali.
I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.
February 1, 2022
Thanks to Pen and Sword for giving me a copy of this to review.
I really loved this book, it's a little gem full of titbits about authors like Arthur Conan Doyle, Oscar Wilde, Geoffrey Chaucer, Charles Dickens, and George Orwell, some of the greats of literary history, and their connections to London. It discusses not only the connections of the authors to London, but their characters as well.
The book divides London down into sections including south, north, west, east, and central, and then into areas inside that including Bridewell, Clerkenwell, Holborn, Kensington, and Whitechapel. There are also some lovely images demonstrating the places in and around London, including blue plaques marking the places where famous writers lived or worked.
There is a very handy list in the back of the book of all of the books mentioned in the main text, classics and modern texts listed alphabetically by author. Reading this book has certainly expanded by want to read list; and that's already miles long!
I really loved this book, it's a little gem full of titbits about authors like Arthur Conan Doyle, Oscar Wilde, Geoffrey Chaucer, Charles Dickens, and George Orwell, some of the greats of literary history, and their connections to London. It discusses not only the connections of the authors to London, but their characters as well.
The book divides London down into sections including south, north, west, east, and central, and then into areas inside that including Bridewell, Clerkenwell, Holborn, Kensington, and Whitechapel. There are also some lovely images demonstrating the places in and around London, including blue plaques marking the places where famous writers lived or worked.
There is a very handy list in the back of the book of all of the books mentioned in the main text, classics and modern texts listed alphabetically by author. Reading this book has certainly expanded by want to read list; and that's already miles long!
May 2, 2022
A fantastic literary tour of London.
This is a book I’ll be hanging onto for reference as a sort of travel guide for literary locations around London.
The book is organized by neighborhood and then into subheadings by the type of locale, be it a park, a pub, a historical site, housing, anything. I love that the author considered both literary landmarks from a fictional standpoint (locations used in books) and also from the perspective of literary history (where writers lived, worked, and socialized).
There’s a lot here to digest, but it’s easier to read narrative-style than your typical travel guide, and provides a fun immersive journey through literary London in addition to being something to hang onto for one’s next trip to the city.
I do wish the author had included nearby locations like Oxford (talk about rich literary history!), since a bookish tour of London always includes places like that for me, and it seems like there’s far too much material just outside the city limits to pass up.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
This is a book I’ll be hanging onto for reference as a sort of travel guide for literary locations around London.
The book is organized by neighborhood and then into subheadings by the type of locale, be it a park, a pub, a historical site, housing, anything. I love that the author considered both literary landmarks from a fictional standpoint (locations used in books) and also from the perspective of literary history (where writers lived, worked, and socialized).
There’s a lot here to digest, but it’s easier to read narrative-style than your typical travel guide, and provides a fun immersive journey through literary London in addition to being something to hang onto for one’s next trip to the city.
I do wish the author had included nearby locations like Oxford (talk about rich literary history!), since a bookish tour of London always includes places like that for me, and it seems like there’s far too much material just outside the city limits to pass up.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
October 10, 2021
This is a good reference book about books, authors, and some interesting things that happened to authors while living in London. It is an easy read, not a dragged out full-length story about every single author and book, but some handpicked things that happened to the authors. It is not a novel, but just as it says, a guide to many parts and houses around London where famous authors lived and worked. I recommend this book to people fascinated by London literature and authors, and want to feel like walking the streets with them.
February 6, 2022
If I’m ever lucky enough to visit London, I’ll definitely be taking this book. As for now, I enjoyed all of the fun facts about the authors and the free trip to London via the photos and stories. It’s a fun read for book lovers!
This unbiased review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
This unbiased review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
December 23, 2021
Beautifully presented guide to London and its writers, a handy guidebook for any book lover visiting the city, with plenty of anecdotes and trivia (although also with, unfortunately, a few errors) which will delight travellers both virtual and real.
November 21, 2021
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in return for an honest review.
My favorite genre of book is armchair travel (a book that allows you to travel through the pages) and this book does that well. The photographs were an excellent addition and I would recommend this book for someone wanting to explore the literary side of London.
My favorite genre of book is armchair travel (a book that allows you to travel through the pages) and this book does that well. The photographs were an excellent addition and I would recommend this book for someone wanting to explore the literary side of London.
December 13, 2024
Short snipets of London locations associated with writers & the city's history in literature.
February 5, 2022
The author’s meticulous research has delivered an illuminating and hugely enjoyable book. The Book Lover’s Guide to London begs multiple readings as well as a bucket-list tour of literary London.
The Book Lover’s Guide to London is an indispensable guide to the London literary scene – both classic and contemporary. Highly visual, it is a veritable mine of information of the capital’s literary history and a cornucopia of cherished authors, famous persons and fictional characters.
It presents a fascinating historical background of persons, places and events, as well as anecdotes and curious facts that are often revelatory. It offers a celebration of what remains as well as providing a wistful look at some long-lost landmarks.
This book is an essential travel companion and has enough information for the keen literati and the casual reader/tourist.
Having read it in one sitting, I was immediately inspired to not only tour London but also revisit many of the dozens of quoted novels on my bookshelves. I’ll be sure to buy a hard copy edition, which I can already envisage being crammed full of Post-It notes and highlighted sections.
Accompanying pupils on school trips to London will in future incorporate dozens more notable literary sites than had hitherto been the case!
Thanks to Netgalley and Pen and Sword for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Book Lover’s Guide to London is an indispensable guide to the London literary scene – both classic and contemporary. Highly visual, it is a veritable mine of information of the capital’s literary history and a cornucopia of cherished authors, famous persons and fictional characters.
It presents a fascinating historical background of persons, places and events, as well as anecdotes and curious facts that are often revelatory. It offers a celebration of what remains as well as providing a wistful look at some long-lost landmarks.
This book is an essential travel companion and has enough information for the keen literati and the casual reader/tourist.
Having read it in one sitting, I was immediately inspired to not only tour London but also revisit many of the dozens of quoted novels on my bookshelves. I’ll be sure to buy a hard copy edition, which I can already envisage being crammed full of Post-It notes and highlighted sections.
Accompanying pupils on school trips to London will in future incorporate dozens more notable literary sites than had hitherto been the case!
Thanks to Netgalley and Pen and Sword for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 29, 2021
Sarah Milne, The Book Lover’s Guide to London, White Owl, an Imprint of Pen & Sword Books Ltd
Thank you NetGalley and Pen & Sword, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.
I was thrilled when my request for this book was granted. Perhaps the height of my expectations made my disappointment sharper. I feel that readers of this review need to take this into consideration as I must admit to being disappointed.
Briefly, taking a positive approach, The Book lover’s Guide to London does provide an extensive list of authors and locations that feature in fiction and characters that would be useful to any person, tourist, or relatively knowledgeable London visitor, in investigating London through literature.
However, I felt that there was too much dependence on familiar sources such as Dickens for the more colourful commentary; a greater variety of works and authors given such treatment would have been a welcome addition. At times the narrative lacked the warmth I associate with any discussion of books. Both authors and characters would have benefitted from a more engaging style so that they could be envisaged moving through the many locations covered in this book.
Geographic areas provide the structure, making this an ideal literary map for exploration. Writers who lived in and/or used them as locations for their fiction are featured in the relevant sections. Although at times this leads to repetition, the usefulness of this way of assembling the information overrides any problems here. Repetition can be a good memory jogger, after all. Geographic entities, Central London, North West London, North London, South London, South West London and West London, feature. Within these, suburbs and authors are named, so that, for example, Kensington and Earl’s Court highlight the authors, Beatrix Potter, Nancy Mitford, Virginia Wolf, William Makepeace Thackeray, and T.S. Eliot and novels in which Earls Court provides the location, include Andrea Levy’s A Small Island and Patrick Hamilton’s Hangover. An interesting comment on one of Agatha Christie’s novels is its location in the apartments in which she lived, Swan Court in Chelsea.
A comprehensive list of the authors and their works, and an extensive bibliography provide further reading. There is an abundance of photographs, which as well as being a tremendous source for understanding the authors’ or their characters’ lives are a pleasure to spend time contemplating.
Thank you NetGalley and Pen & Sword, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.
I was thrilled when my request for this book was granted. Perhaps the height of my expectations made my disappointment sharper. I feel that readers of this review need to take this into consideration as I must admit to being disappointed.
Briefly, taking a positive approach, The Book lover’s Guide to London does provide an extensive list of authors and locations that feature in fiction and characters that would be useful to any person, tourist, or relatively knowledgeable London visitor, in investigating London through literature.
However, I felt that there was too much dependence on familiar sources such as Dickens for the more colourful commentary; a greater variety of works and authors given such treatment would have been a welcome addition. At times the narrative lacked the warmth I associate with any discussion of books. Both authors and characters would have benefitted from a more engaging style so that they could be envisaged moving through the many locations covered in this book.
Geographic areas provide the structure, making this an ideal literary map for exploration. Writers who lived in and/or used them as locations for their fiction are featured in the relevant sections. Although at times this leads to repetition, the usefulness of this way of assembling the information overrides any problems here. Repetition can be a good memory jogger, after all. Geographic entities, Central London, North West London, North London, South London, South West London and West London, feature. Within these, suburbs and authors are named, so that, for example, Kensington and Earl’s Court highlight the authors, Beatrix Potter, Nancy Mitford, Virginia Wolf, William Makepeace Thackeray, and T.S. Eliot and novels in which Earls Court provides the location, include Andrea Levy’s A Small Island and Patrick Hamilton’s Hangover. An interesting comment on one of Agatha Christie’s novels is its location in the apartments in which she lived, Swan Court in Chelsea.
A comprehensive list of the authors and their works, and an extensive bibliography provide further reading. There is an abundance of photographs, which as well as being a tremendous source for understanding the authors’ or their characters’ lives are a pleasure to spend time contemplating.
August 29, 2021
The Book Lover's Guide to London is a wonderful guide for fans of British literature. The book goes neighborhood by neighborhood featuring the various authors who lived there or notable books and stories that took place there.
The descriptions are detailed enough to not feel surface level but short enough to be approachable. I appreciated that in addition to the great novelists, the book also featured poets, play writes, and essayists. I will say that there were a lot of names and book mentioned that I've never heard of, but I'm not well versed on my classics so that's a reflection of me and not the book. I've lived in London so I was familiar with the neighborhoods and had visited many of the locations referenced. It did add one location to my list of places to visit on my next trip to London, the Hardy Tree at St. Pancras Church Graveyard.
I do think that this book had way too much Charles Dickens. I get it, the guy lived in London most of his life and set most if not all of his books there, but he was so disproportionately featured compared to everyone else. There are too many authors who have lived in and featured London to have so many sections of the book focused on one author. I also which there had been a better indicator of which locations are still in existence vs. which ones have been lost to time. While featured as a travel guide, it would be very difficult to follow the book with additional help from google maps.
Thank you to Pen & Sword, White Owl, and NetGalley for the ARC.
The descriptions are detailed enough to not feel surface level but short enough to be approachable. I appreciated that in addition to the great novelists, the book also featured poets, play writes, and essayists. I will say that there were a lot of names and book mentioned that I've never heard of, but I'm not well versed on my classics so that's a reflection of me and not the book. I've lived in London so I was familiar with the neighborhoods and had visited many of the locations referenced. It did add one location to my list of places to visit on my next trip to London, the Hardy Tree at St. Pancras Church Graveyard.
I do think that this book had way too much Charles Dickens. I get it, the guy lived in London most of his life and set most if not all of his books there, but he was so disproportionately featured compared to everyone else. There are too many authors who have lived in and featured London to have so many sections of the book focused on one author. I also which there had been a better indicator of which locations are still in existence vs. which ones have been lost to time. While featured as a travel guide, it would be very difficult to follow the book with additional help from google maps.
Thank you to Pen & Sword, White Owl, and NetGalley for the ARC.
January 23, 2023
Perfect for book lovers and vacationers alike, this book is packed with interesting facts about every corner of London. The book is divided into sections geographically, which makes it useful to plan outings if you are trying to visit many different sites efficiently. It also makes the narrative flow as it begins with a story about a location on one street, then takes you around the corner for the next anecdote. The stories might be about which house Charles Dickens lived in, what pub a certain author liked to frequent, or where a particular author is buried. Stories range from the Soho of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to the statue of Paddington Bear at the train station. There are entries on the British Library, the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (the recipient of the royalties from Peter Pan), and the University of London's Senate House (inspiration for the Ministry of Truth in Orwell's 1984). Photos capture sites, statues, memorial plaques, and headstones - all with explanatory captions.
If you, or someone you know, will be traveling to London - get a copy to take on the trip. If you cannot go right away, then you can enjoy being an armchair traveler as you read the stories of affairs, elopements, feuds, and friendships (of the authors and their characters). You may want to keep a highlighter or some Post-It flags handy to mark locations you would love to visit.
I read an advance copy provided by the publisher for review purposes.
If you, or someone you know, will be traveling to London - get a copy to take on the trip. If you cannot go right away, then you can enjoy being an armchair traveler as you read the stories of affairs, elopements, feuds, and friendships (of the authors and their characters). You may want to keep a highlighter or some Post-It flags handy to mark locations you would love to visit.
I read an advance copy provided by the publisher for review purposes.
September 1, 2021
As both a book lover and a sometime Londoner (I lived there for almost decade in the 90s, miss it daily), I devour this sort of thing. Often, books like these leave me unsatisfied, their content shallow and skimming. Sarah Milne's wonderful guide to literary London, however, left me sated, if not stuffed to the gills - in the pleasantest way possible.
There's no snobbery or condescension here, and the content is pleasingly eclectic - it's not all Dickens and Shakespeare, which makes a jolly nice change. Contemporary authors are covered too, and the factoids are genuinely interesting; as I say, I'm a seasoned reader of London guides (helps with the second homesickness, see), and there's plenty here I'd never read before. Female authors are well documented, too - something that's often missing from other guides, depressingly.
Whether you're planning a literary pilgrimage, missing the city you once called home or just wish to immerse yourself in London's colourful wordy past (and present!), this meticulously researched and beautifully written book is the perfect love letter to literary London with which to do so.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
There's no snobbery or condescension here, and the content is pleasingly eclectic - it's not all Dickens and Shakespeare, which makes a jolly nice change. Contemporary authors are covered too, and the factoids are genuinely interesting; as I say, I'm a seasoned reader of London guides (helps with the second homesickness, see), and there's plenty here I'd never read before. Female authors are well documented, too - something that's often missing from other guides, depressingly.
Whether you're planning a literary pilgrimage, missing the city you once called home or just wish to immerse yourself in London's colourful wordy past (and present!), this meticulously researched and beautifully written book is the perfect love letter to literary London with which to do so.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 18, 2021
I love London and am constantly amazed at how many ways there are to visit and look at the city. This guide focuses on book lovers. The book breaks London down into neighborhoods and in each section will tell you about authors who lived in the area or about stories that take place in the vicinity. For example Covnent Garden is where the Artful Dodger was a pick pocket it is also where Oscar Wilde was brought when he was arrested for indecency. I love seeing photos of neighborhoods I have visited and I've added some locations to visit on my next trip to London. Writers like Dickens get several mentions as he set books in London and lived in various locations. Sadly a lot of the buildings where writers lived no longer exist but the book will mention if there is a plaque noting the site. This is not a travel guide book. You would need another guidebook to help find the neighborhoods, subway stops etc. This is for the person who wants to find where their favorite authors lived or are buried. Or know that this location was used in a famous story. Thank you to NetGalley and Pen & Sword for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.
September 6, 2021
I adore London, and I adore books, so I was really excited to pick up an eARC of this read.
It's absolutely well produced; I recommend either a physical copy or reading the e-version on a device that allows you to enjoy the full-color photos available throughout (those ereaders, which I love and prefer, that are not set up for that would unfortunately not do this particular production justice).
The book does begin by highlighting a number of seedier locations and/or more "colorful" sides to some authors (Oscar Wilde, to name just one). This was kind of where I fell off the excitement bus; I'm all too aware of this reality but also don't necessarily/personally need to read about it. :) Again, entirely my preference vis-a-vis the author's. That aside, I enjoyed how the author brought the bookish side of London--a vast treasure trove--to life, and I'll certainly enjoy incorporating components of it in future visits to this fantastic city.
I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
It's absolutely well produced; I recommend either a physical copy or reading the e-version on a device that allows you to enjoy the full-color photos available throughout (those ereaders, which I love and prefer, that are not set up for that would unfortunately not do this particular production justice).
The book does begin by highlighting a number of seedier locations and/or more "colorful" sides to some authors (Oscar Wilde, to name just one). This was kind of where I fell off the excitement bus; I'm all too aware of this reality but also don't necessarily/personally need to read about it. :) Again, entirely my preference vis-a-vis the author's. That aside, I enjoyed how the author brought the bookish side of London--a vast treasure trove--to life, and I'll certainly enjoy incorporating components of it in future visits to this fantastic city.
I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
February 11, 2022
I want to thank @netgalley for my advanced readers copy. I thought this book was well done and gave so many fun facts about English writers as well as the locations where they wrote and/or lived. I hope to travel to London to check out some of the places mentioned here! Highly recommend!
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From Amazon— This book takes you on an area-by-area journey through London to discover the stories behind the stories told in some of the most famous novels, plays and poems written in, or about, the city.
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* Find out which poet almost lost one of his most important manuscripts in a Soho pub.
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* Discover how Graham Greene managed to survive the German bomb that destroyed his Clapham home.
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* Climb down the dingy steps from London Bridge to Thames path below and imagine how it felt to be Nancy trying to save Oliver Twist, only to then meet her own violent death.
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* Drink in same pub Bram Stoker listened to the ghost stories that inspired Dracula, the plush drinking house where Noel Coward performed, and the bars and cafes frequented by modern writers.
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* Tour the locations where London’s writers, and their characters lived, worked, played, loved, lost and died.
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This is the first literature guide to London to be fully illustrated with beautiful color photographs throughout the book. This unique book can be used a guidebook on a physical journey through London, or as a treasury of fascinating, often obscure tales and information for book lovers to read wherever they are.
⠀
From Amazon— This book takes you on an area-by-area journey through London to discover the stories behind the stories told in some of the most famous novels, plays and poems written in, or about, the city.
⠀
* Find out which poet almost lost one of his most important manuscripts in a Soho pub.
⠀
* Discover how Graham Greene managed to survive the German bomb that destroyed his Clapham home.
⠀
* Climb down the dingy steps from London Bridge to Thames path below and imagine how it felt to be Nancy trying to save Oliver Twist, only to then meet her own violent death.
⠀
* Drink in same pub Bram Stoker listened to the ghost stories that inspired Dracula, the plush drinking house where Noel Coward performed, and the bars and cafes frequented by modern writers.
⠀
* Tour the locations where London’s writers, and their characters lived, worked, played, loved, lost and died.
⠀
This is the first literature guide to London to be fully illustrated with beautiful color photographs throughout the book. This unique book can be used a guidebook on a physical journey through London, or as a treasury of fascinating, often obscure tales and information for book lovers to read wherever they are.
September 7, 2021
If ever a book was written that could combine two of my favorites, London and books, this is surely it! This title can be enjoyed by those in London or by armchair travelers. Divided by geographic areas, as for example, Central London or West London, readers can organize their read or walk to spend time where they most wish. The end of the book lists all of the writing included in the book and also contains a bibliography.
I was drawn to so many areas in my reading. I went to Soho, Charing Cross, Hampstead Heath, Belgravia and many more. Just a few of the authors about whom I read were Dickens, Virginia Woolf, and Sylvia Plath. There are many others. The reader’s fictional journey is enhanced by the many photographs that are part of this book.
So, book lovers, take a look when this one comes out. It is a fun read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.
I was drawn to so many areas in my reading. I went to Soho, Charing Cross, Hampstead Heath, Belgravia and many more. Just a few of the authors about whom I read were Dickens, Virginia Woolf, and Sylvia Plath. There are many others. The reader’s fictional journey is enhanced by the many photographs that are part of this book.
So, book lovers, take a look when this one comes out. It is a fun read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.
September 22, 2021
Every time I have gone to London with a family member or colleague we end up seeing the typical sites. With Covid, I haven’t been in two years and it’s time to plan my next trip around MY interests this time. When I saw this book, I knew it was going to help me plan my next trip…and add a few books to my reading list in preparation. Some will be a first read, but most will be a second or third read, but all will be a great way to prepare for my first trip in a few years. Any family that goes with me will have to complete their reading list too. I’m even adding a few sites for some of the other books I love and haven’t been included…it’s going to be awesome!
Give this book a read and you’ll be planning your next trip to Monday to be a literary themed trip too. Some cool features and tidbits as well as trivia that will keep you one step ahead of the rest of the visitors. I. CANNOT. WAIT!
Give this book a read and you’ll be planning your next trip to Monday to be a literary themed trip too. Some cool features and tidbits as well as trivia that will keep you one step ahead of the rest of the visitors. I. CANNOT. WAIT!
December 27, 2021
From the three years I lived in London, it has been my favourite city. I love to read books that draw me back into the streets I have wandered and the places I have been. Being a book lover as well, I was looking forward to reading this one. It would be fun to delve into the stories that were set here and the authors who wrote of this great and varied place.
That is why I am a little disappointed in the book. There was nothing wrong with it. There was just nothing that drew me into it. It looked at the various districts and covered a few writers and their works that pertained to that locality. Once in a while there was a slight spark in the writing but it was, for the most part, pedestrian. It did however have one personal surprise. It appears I lived a few doors away from one of the authors. I had not been aware of that at the time. But that was insufficient to win any extra points.
Three purrs and one paw up.
That is why I am a little disappointed in the book. There was nothing wrong with it. There was just nothing that drew me into it. It looked at the various districts and covered a few writers and their works that pertained to that locality. Once in a while there was a slight spark in the writing but it was, for the most part, pedestrian. It did however have one personal surprise. It appears I lived a few doors away from one of the authors. I had not been aware of that at the time. But that was insufficient to win any extra points.
Three purrs and one paw up.
February 15, 2022
Hard for me to rate this one as it’s more informative than anything else. I’ve only ever been to London once and to be honest, I hated the hustle and bustle of it all.
It was written about each part of London. It was filled with loads of pictures and information about bookish places that you may want to go and see for yourself!
It’s very different to what I expected when I first received the book but I found it so interesting and intriguing. You don’t have your typical ‘tourists’ spots throughout the book but more of the lesser known areas and streets.
Definitely a book I’d take into account if I ever did build up the confidence to go back to London, I thought it was excellently written.
Thank you to @what_rosie_read for sending me this book and to @sarahmilneauthor , @penswordbooks and @white_owl_books for allowing me a #gifted physical copy of this beaut.
It was written about each part of London. It was filled with loads of pictures and information about bookish places that you may want to go and see for yourself!
It’s very different to what I expected when I first received the book but I found it so interesting and intriguing. You don’t have your typical ‘tourists’ spots throughout the book but more of the lesser known areas and streets.
Definitely a book I’d take into account if I ever did build up the confidence to go back to London, I thought it was excellently written.
Thank you to @what_rosie_read for sending me this book and to @sarahmilneauthor , @penswordbooks and @white_owl_books for allowing me a #gifted physical copy of this beaut.
July 13, 2022
This is a quick read that guides you through London via the haunts of fictional characters and those of writers. You can skip to the back for an alphabetized list of the books and authors mentioned, which is definitely helpful if you have specific authors or books in mind. Since London is quite the literary city, most individual entries are short. Even so, I definitely learned some fun facts. It's not really set up as a tour guide book, but if you know you are going to be in certain neighborhoods you can add the appropriate literary landmarks to your list from this book and make sure to see them. It also could be a good read a few weeks or months before a trip to London, so that you can pick one or two of the mentioned books to read before or on your trip.
4 stars because it does what it intended to do well.
4 stars because it does what it intended to do well.
December 21, 2021
The Book Lover’s Guide to London is an extensively researched guide to both authors and their literary characters’ connections to London. Organized by area, the book helpfully includes full-color photographs to supplement the text.
There are interesting stories here especially if you live in, or are planning to visit, London. It is also useful for authors using a particular area of London as a setting. However, there is a bit of a reference book tone. The entries are dry. They feel like an author’s note cards that haven’t been fully fleshed out to a finished book.
Overall, The Book Lover’s Guide to London is better for research than reading straight through. 3 stars.
Thanks to Pen & Sword and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
There are interesting stories here especially if you live in, or are planning to visit, London. It is also useful for authors using a particular area of London as a setting. However, there is a bit of a reference book tone. The entries are dry. They feel like an author’s note cards that haven’t been fully fleshed out to a finished book.
Overall, The Book Lover’s Guide to London is better for research than reading straight through. 3 stars.
Thanks to Pen & Sword and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
September 14, 2021
A well-researched guidebook specifically for readers about London, jam packed with trivia that will help you win trivia night? Yes, please.
Happy, happy sigh. This fantastic resource is a fun read. From the well loved classics of literature to contemporary works, with interesting tidbits about authors and places, this wonderful guide is the perfect book for any book lover/traveler (or book lover/non-traveler).
I am definitely planning on obtaining a physical copy and bringing this title with me when I’m able to travel abroad. I loved this book!
My thanks to Pen & Sword and NetGalley for an eARC of this title.
Happy, happy sigh. This fantastic resource is a fun read. From the well loved classics of literature to contemporary works, with interesting tidbits about authors and places, this wonderful guide is the perfect book for any book lover/traveler (or book lover/non-traveler).
I am definitely planning on obtaining a physical copy and bringing this title with me when I’m able to travel abroad. I loved this book!
My thanks to Pen & Sword and NetGalley for an eARC of this title.
September 7, 2021
Thanks to the publisher for granting my wish!
I had the joy of visiting London many years ago, although I am now firmly in the category of armchair traveler. This book was quite a treat, as it brought back some of the locations I visited, as well as many that I have not. I think this book would be a delight for someone living in or visiting London-it would be a real adventure to walk along with this book and visit some of the many literary landmarks in the city. However, I'd recommend this book for anyone who loves literature. Anyone can enjoy the facts and anecdotes in this book.
I had the joy of visiting London many years ago, although I am now firmly in the category of armchair traveler. This book was quite a treat, as it brought back some of the locations I visited, as well as many that I have not. I think this book would be a delight for someone living in or visiting London-it would be a real adventure to walk along with this book and visit some of the many literary landmarks in the city. However, I'd recommend this book for anyone who loves literature. Anyone can enjoy the facts and anecdotes in this book.
October 9, 2021
The Book Lover’s Guide to London is a handy travel guide written by Sarah Milne. What makes it stand out among the sea of travel guides is Milne’s approach to the city. She prefers to stray from the beaten path—good!—offering the reader a new perspective concerning London. There are pictures of buildings and statues I never encountered before, curiosities, and anecdotes, each of them framed inside a nice graphic layout. What a refreshing take!
[Keep reading @ Bookshelves & Teacups]
[Keep reading @ Bookshelves & Teacups]
November 29, 2021
I love to visit places following books and authors and this was the perfect guide to London. There's a long list of authors, both classics and contemporary.
I loved to lose myself in the places and learning something new, designing new travels in the future.
Riveting, well researched and informative.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
I loved to lose myself in the places and learning something new, designing new travels in the future.
Riveting, well researched and informative.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
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