20 Best Books About London (2023 Update)

The first book in the no. 1 times bestselling series 'this is terrific stuff' daily telegraph 'a breathtakingly ambitious picture of an era' financial times 'a masterclass in how to weave a well-researched history into a complex plot' the times over 1 million andrew taylor novels sold! a city in flames london, 1666. as the great fire consumes everything in its path, the body of a man is found in the ruins of st paul's cathedral – stabbed in the neck, thumbs tied behind his back. a woman on the run the son of a traitor, james marwood is forced to hunt the killer through the city's devastated streets. there he encounters a determined young woman, who will stop at nothing to secure her freedom. a killer seeking revenge when a second murder victim is discovered in the fleet ditch, marwood is drawn into the political and religious intrigue of westminster – and across the path of a killer with nothing to lose…

Edward rutherfurd was born in salisbury, england, and was educated in wiltshire and at cambridge. he has since lived on both sides of the atlantic, in dublin and new york, but he returned to his roots to write his first novel, the best-selling sarum, a history of salisbury. this was followed by the best-selling russka, a sweeping history of russia from the cossack horsemen to the bolshevik revolution. until the 1980s, edward rutherfurd pursued a business career — he attended stanford business school, worked for w.h. smith, and was employed by tory party central office. as a child, he had been fascinated by the novels of c.s. forester, henty, and the historical romances of sir arthur conan doyle. his grandmother, evelyn winch, was a well-known romantic novelist of the 1930s. rutherfurd was also influenced by the novels of james michener, such as covenant and texas, and saw that no one had attempted a similar approach in the united kingdom. rutherfurd gave up his secure day job and spent two years researching and writing sarum. when it was half-finished, and funds were running low, he realized he needed to find an agent. he approached agent gill coleridge with a few chapters and a synopsis. within a month, century bought the book in england, and the novel was auctioned in the united states. ten years later, sarum is still selling all over the world. edward rutherfurd currently lives outside dublin, ireland.

Discover the many exciting sights of the london landscape. learn about the history, the culture and the people through this amusing pictue book. a fabulous picture book packed with fascinating details about london's most famous sights, from buckingham palace and the tower of london to trafalgar square and the museums in kensington. there are pages on london's parks, transport and sporting events, and two stunning fold-out pages show all the bridges and landmarks along the river thames.

Breathtaking images, some in gatefold format, capture the essence of the remarkable city of londonfascinating facts and an historical timeline bring to life the city's past and presentan inspirational gift or the perfect souvenirlavishly illustrated, the london book is a superb tribute to this much-loved capital combining over 300 stunning images with engaging text. this sumptuous coffee-table book features page after page of visual delights capturing the major attractions of this unique and cosmopolitan metropolis, from the splendour of the royal palaces and historic cathedrals to the lush green parks, vibrant markets and world-famous shops.

Acclaimed photographer georgianna lane chronicles the flower markets, gardens, and floral boutiques of london london in bloom showcases the floral abundance of the english capital's extraordinary parks, gardens, florists, and flower markets. in this companion to her popular books paris in bloom and new york in bloom, georgianna lane takes us on a romantic floral tour of london, juxtaposing luscious blooms with intricate floral details found in the city's iconic architecture. the book also includes a detailed list of recommended parks, gardens, markets, and floral designers; a spring tour of blossoms and blooms; a field guide of common spring-blooming trees and shrubs; and step-by-step instructions for creating a london-style bouquet. for flower lovers and anglophiles alike, london in bloom offers a unique and irresistible view of london.

“a tour de force . . . london tracks the history of the english capital from the days of the celts until the present time. . . . breathtaking.”—the orlando sentinel a master of epic historical fiction, edward rutherford gives us a sweeping novel of london, a glorious pageant spanning two thousand years. he brings this vibrant city's long and noble history alive through his saga of ever-shifting fortunes, fates, and intrigues of a half-dozen families, from the age of julius caesar to the twentieth century. generation after generation, these families embody the passion, struggle, wealth, and verve of the greatest city in the old world.praise for london “remarkable . . . the invasion by julius caesar’s legions in 54 b.c. . . . the rise of chivalry and the crusades . . . the building of the globe theatre . . . and the coming of the industrial revolution. . . . what a delightful way to get the feel of london and of english history. . . . each episode is a punchy tale made up of bite-size chunks ending in tiny cliffhangers.”—the new york times“hold-your-breath suspense, buccaneering adventure, and passionate tales of love and war.”—the times (london)“fascinating . . . a sprawling epic.”—san francisco chronicle

For london lovers of all stripes, national geographic london book of lists chronicles this ever-changing city from its ancient roman origins to the present day. organized with a minimum of organization, the 140 lists in this eclectic and hugely entertaining illustrated compendium cover the city's best, worst, highest, smallest, first, last, and everything in-between. among the many intriguing facts, stats, and snippets, you'll discover: · where you can find six old windmills within the confines of metropolitan london · why the women's restroom at an east end pub is especially popular with avant-garde artists · when a tornado razed nearly 600 houses and destroyed london bridge · the address of the only london flat where the four members of the beatles lived together · why local children beat the stone boundaries outside the tower of london with willow branches every three years · where you can find london's eight best waterfront pubs, seven greatest victorian gin palaces, and ten most historic pubs · which two famous london museums still show world war ii bomb damage on their outer walls royal palaces. street markets. stellar views. cockney slang. favorite meals of kings. roman ruins. secrets lost to time. with surprises on every page, national geographic london book of lists takes you deep inside the city that never fails to fascinate.

London is a spectacular place to visit, and there are endless things to see and do all year round.in london, block by block, illustrator cierra block shares 50 maps showing the best places that london has to offer, whether it's the food or history, culture, shopping, beautiful buildings or gardens. each map starts with an idea – it might be, where are the best pancakes in london? what are the places everyone should visit in marylebone? or, where in london can you lose hours browsing the shelves of a beautiful bookstore? from there, cierra has curated a list of the best places and has painted a charming accompanying map. from best afternoon tea to most impressive views, haunted places and things to do in summer, there really is something for everyone.this book will be an inspiration for all, whether it's your first visit to london, you're a seasoned vacationer or an all-your-life local. that's the wonderful thing about london – there's always more to explore!

Instant new york times bestseller"an irresistible tale which showcases the transformative power of literacy, reminding us of the hope and sanctuary our neighborhood bookstores offer during the perilous trials of war and unrest."–kim michele richardson, author of the book woman of troublesome creekaugust 1939: london prepares for war as hitler's forces sweep across europe. grace bennett has always dreamed of moving to the city, but the bunkers and drawn curtains that she finds on her arrival are not what she expected. and she certainly never imagined she'd wind up working at primrose hill, a dusty old bookshop nestled in the heart of london.through blackouts and air raids as the blitz intensifies, grace discovers the power of storytelling to unite her community in ways she never dreamed–a force that triumphs over even the darkest nights of the war." a gorgeously written story of love, friendship, and survival set against the backdrop of wwii-era london."–jillian cantor, author of in another time and half life"a love letter to the power of books to unite us, to hold the world together when it's falling apart around our ears. this fresh take on what london endured during wwii should catapult madeline martin to the top tier of historical fiction novelists."–karen robards, author of the black swan of parisdon't miss madeline martin's newest historical novel, the librarian spy.

One of literary hub's most anticipated books of 2022 a “brilliant london historian” (bbc radio) tells the story of britain as never before—through its abandoned villages and towns. drowned. buried by sand. decimated by plague. plunged off a cliff. this is the extraordinary tale of britain’s eerie and remarkable ghost towns and villages; shadowlands that once hummed with life. matthew green, a british historian and broadcaster, tells the astonishing tales of the rise and demise of these places, animating the people who lived, worked, dreamed, and died there. traveling across britain to explore their haunting and often-beautiful remains, green transports the reader to these lost towns and cities as they teeter on the brink of oblivion, vividly capturing the sounds of the sea clawing away row upon row of houses, the taste of medieval wine, or the sights of puffin hunting on the tallest cliffs in the country. a stunning and original excavation of britain’s untold history, shadowlands gives us a truer sense of the progress and ravages of time, in a moment when many of our own settlements are threatened as never before.

A curated guide to the most chic, stylish and unique sites in london, from the creators of the hugely successful instagram account @prettylittlelondon. inviting you on a stunning visual tour of the city, your guides sara and andrea present the most insta-worthy destinations in the capital. with everything from cafes and restaurants to galleries, parks and hotels, pretty little london introduces more than 100 perfect places to explore all year round. the authors also share advice drawn from their experience on the platform, from using the right equipment to photograph these stunning ​locations, to how to build followings and understand trends and algorithms. there are even a few day trips outside of london for those much-needed weekend getaways. filled with enviable photography, beautiful maps, instagram advice and insider tips – this book will inspire you to discover parts of the city you’ve never seen before.

London lies devastated after the great fire of 1666. this is your opportunity to build a new city on the ashes of the old. it is up to you how you employ the talents of the people of london to this end. will you favor the business classes, who will earn you money? or would you prefer to spend more money than you can rightly afford on grand monuments and sumptuous palaces? you must also deal with the problem of rising poverty and how to employ the many paupers of the city. throughout the game you will be forced to make tough decisions. to achieve one aim you must sacrifice another, which may open an opportunity for a competitor. london is a 2-4 player game with a playing time of approximately 90 minutes. players select cards with varying powers of cashflow, victory points, and poverty penalties, and compete to manage them most efficiently. nearly 250 years of progress is glimpsed in this game. famous buildings and monuments of the era as well as engineering developments such as streetlights are illustrated on the cards. as with a lot of games, london is about scoring the most vps. players manage their hand, selecting cards to play into their building display by laying them out in a line. at some point a player will choose to run his city. they can activate their buildings in whatever order they prefer. the resulting actions can generate money and vps, reduce poverty or have some other effect specified on the card. some cards have an entry cost which must be paid before the action can be performed.

“a rich and exuberant kaleidoscopic portrait of a great, messy, noisy, daunting, inspiring, maddening, enthralling, constantly shifting rorschach test of a place. . . . in taylor’s patient and sympathetic hands, regular people become poets, philosophers, orators.” — new york times book reviewlondoners is a fresh and compulsively readable view of one of the world's most fascinating cities–a vibrant narrative portrait of the london of our own time, featuring unforgettable stories told by the real people who make the city hum.acclaimed writer and editor craig taylor has spent years traversing every corner of the city, getting to know the most interesting londoners, including the voice of the london underground, a west end rickshaw driver, an east end nightclub doorperson, a mounted soldier of the queen's life guard at buckingham palace, and a couple who fell in love at the tower of london—and now live there. with candor and humor, this diverse cast—rich and poor, old and young, native and immigrant, men and women (and even a sarah who used to be a george)—shares indelible tales that capture the city as never before.together, these voices paint a vivid, epic, and wholly original portrait of twenty-first-century london in all its breadth, from notting hill to brixton, from piccadilly circus to canary wharf, from an airliner flying into london heathrow airport to big ben and tower bridge, and down to the deepest tunnels of the london underground. londoners is the autobiography of one of the world's greatest cities.

“a rich and exuberant kaleidoscopic portrait of a great, messy, noisy, daunting, inspiring, maddening, enthralling, constantly shifting rorschach test of a place. . . . in taylor’s patient and sympathetic hands, regular people become poets, philosophers, orators.” — new york times book reviewlondoners is a fresh and compulsively readable view of one of the world's most fascinating cities–a vibrant narrative portrait of the london of our own time, featuring unforgettable stories told by the real people who make the city hum.acclaimed writer and editor craig taylor has spent years traversing every corner of the city, getting to know the most interesting londoners, including the voice of the london underground, a west end rickshaw driver, an east end nightclub doorperson, a mounted soldier of the queen's life guard at buckingham palace, and a couple who fell in love at the tower of london—and now live there. with candor and humor, this diverse cast—rich and poor, old and young, native and immigrant, men and women (and even a sarah who used to be a george)—shares indelible tales that capture the city as never before.together, these voices paint a vivid, epic, and wholly original portrait of twenty-first-century london in all its breadth, from notting hill to brixton, from piccadilly circus to canary wharf, from an airliner flying into london heathrow airport to big ben and tower bridge, and down to the deepest tunnels of the london underground. londoners is the autobiography of one of the world's greatest cities.

"london is the best city in america," is the insightful, wickedly funny story of two siblings who have found themselves at a crossroads. three years ago, emmy everett made the painful decision to call off her engagement and leave new york city behind. july 4th weekend has rolled around again and emmy is mustering up the courage to return home to new york (the site of her own failed romance) to celebrate her brother josh's wedding. en route to his bachelor party, emmy is shocked when her typically resolute brother confesses that he is having serious doubts about getting married and he may even be in love with another woman. emmy is determined to help her brother face up to this decisionthe one she fled from herself. with less than twenty-four hours to go before the wedding, she takes josh on a road trip to find this mystery woman. "london is the best city in america" is a courageous, big-hearted portrait of love, loyalty, and heartbreak. backcover: incredibly deft, utterly satisfying? i love every character. a triumph of a first novel.? melissa bank, author of "the girl's guide to hunting and fishing" and "the wonder spot" "london is the best city in america" is a delicious comedy of manners and a smart examination of the heart and its desires. what a sparkling debut!? susan isaacs, author of "long time no see" "with its suspenseful plot, endearing heroine and vivid prose, laura dave's "london is the best city in america" is an immensely appealing novel. a sparkling debut." margot livesey, author of "eva moves the furniture"

Over the past 2000 years, london has developed from a small town, fitting snugly within its walls, into one of the world's largest and most dynamic cities. this book illustrates and explains london's transformation into a great city.

In broad desert daylight, a mysterious platoon of soldiers evacuates the entire population of sunrise valley, nevada. minutes later, a huge bomb detonates a hundred feet above the ground and lays waste to homes, cars, and playgrounds: a town annihilated in an instant.alex cross is on vacation in san francisco with his girlfriend, jamilla hughes, when he gets the call. the russian supercriminal known as the wolf claims responsibility for the blast. the wolf is the deadliest nemesis cross has ever faced, and the fact that he is still at large is agonizing for him and his new bosses at the fbi.major cities around the globe, including london, paris, and new york, are threatened with total destruction. the wolf has proven he can do it – the only question is who can stop him in time. surveillance film of the blast reveals the presence of another of alex cross's most dangerous enemies, the ruthless assassin known as the weasel. the thought of these two dark geniuses joining forces makes alex's blood run cold.now are you scared? world leaders have just four days to prevent an unimaginable cataclysm. in a matter of hours, cross is catapulted into an international chase of astonishing danger. joining forces with scotland yard and interpol, alex fights his way through a torrent of false leads, impersonators, and foreign agents before he gets close to the heart of the crimes. racing down the hairpin turns of the riviera in one of james patterson's most unforgettable finales, alex cross confronts the truth of the wolf's identity – a revelation that even cross himself may be unable to survive.

From secluded mews to undiscovered cafes, flower markets, and tree-lined streets, prettycitylondon champions the quiet, gentle moments that allow you to escape in a huge capital city like london. curated by founder and editor of instagram's @prettycitylondon, this stunning guide also includes tips on how to photograph and plan your own prettycitylondon experience, whether on foot or from afar.

Whether you want to pose in front of big ben's elizabeth tower, explore the tower of london, or see the queen's home at buckingham palace, the local fodor's travel experts in london are here to help! fodor's london guidebook is packed with maps, carefully curated recommendations, and everything else you need to simplify your trip-planning process and make the most of your time. this new edition has been fully-redesigned with an easy-to-read layout, fresh information, and beautiful color photos. – fodor's london travel guide includes: an illustrated ultimate experiences guide to the top things to see and do – multiple itineraries to effectively organize your days and maximize your time – more than 15 detailed maps and a free pull-out map to help you navigate confidently – color photos throughout to spark your wanderlust – honest recommendations on the best sights, restaurants, hotels, nightlife, shopping, performing arts, activities, side-trips, and more photo-filled "best of" features on "london's best museums", "london's best royal sites", "london's best historic pubs", and more – trip-planning tools and practical tips including when to go, getting around, beating the crowds, and saving time and money – historical and cultural insights providing rich context on the local people, politics, art, architecture, cuisine, geography and more – special features on the british museum and the tower of london – local writers to help you find the under-the-radar gems – up-to-date coverage on: westminster abbey, buckingham palace, the tower of london, st. paul's cathedral, the british museum, the tate modern, shakespeare's globe, hyde park, houses of parliament, kensington palace, windsor castle, hampton court, and more. – planning on visiting the rest of great britain? *important note for digital editions: the digital edition of this guide does not contain all the images or text included in the physical edition. – about fodor's authors: each fodor's travel guide is researched and written by local experts. fodor's has been offering expert advice for all tastes and budgets for over 80 years. – travel on facebook, instagram, and twitter.

Using archive photographs from london's rich history, london then and now shows how some parts of the city have changed dramatically, while others remain perfectly preserved.london has changed rapidly in the last 150 years. the luftwaffe helped modify many parts of central london and the east end in the 1940s, but some of the most dramatic changes have come in the last twenty years.stretching from hampton court and kew gardens in west london, this updated and revised edition takes a winding route along the river thames to the soaring spires of canary wharf in docklands and the stately royal naval college at greenwich.sites include hampton court palace, kew gardens, hammersmith bridge, king's road chelsea, battersea power station, lambeth palace, the tate, palace of westminster, elizabeth tower (big ben), whitehall, horse guards parade, westminster abbey, buckingham palace, harrods, albert memorial, piccadilly circus, trafalgar square, national gallery, festival hall, savoy hotel, oxo tower, covent garden, theatre royal drury lane, royal opera house, soho, tate modern, bank of england, st. paul's cathedral, tower of london, hms belfast, samuel pepys's church, london bridge/the shard, docklands, greenwich observatory, and the royal naval college.