London: The Biography - Peter Ackroyd

Peter Ackroyd obviously likes London a lot. As far as I know all of his novels are set there, and he's written acclaimed biographies of people like Blake and Dickens who are inextricably linked to the city in the popular imagination. He became famous after writing 'Hawksmoor', a novel about the sinister magical properties of various East End churches (an idea he 'borrowed' from Iain Sinclair, but never mind). He obviously does a lot of research into a whole variety of London subjects, and knows an awful lot about the place and the people who lived here. That's always been my problem with him ... more

If anyone is fit to right a biography of London then it is without a doubt Peter Ackroyd. As a native Londoner his passion and fascination with the capital is clear throughout this 79 chapter compendium of London past and present. One of the key things that makes this unique from any other guide book or ‘History of London’ is the order in which Ackroyd has chosen to explore London. Rather than dividing the chapters up to encompass neat districts or relay the history in chronological order Ackroyd acknowledges the sprawling, uncontrollable nature of the city by following a non linear narrative ... more