A Traveller's Companion to London
Thomas Wright
(Author)
Peter Ackroyd
(Author)
Description
London has witnessed everything from pilgrimages, celebrations, acts of heroism and moments of religious contemplation to riots, executions, grisly murders and disastrous fires. It is a history of work and capital, of power and exuberance, and of great creativity from a rich host of artists and writers, Shakespeare and Dickens among them, but also of violent crime, exploitation, loneliness and extreme hardship; life in the poverty ridden East of the city could not be more different than life in its opulent West End. Drawing upon extracts from contemporary letters, diaries and memoirs of fascinating inhabitants and visitors, this anthology by acclaimed London historian Peter Ackroyd and Thomas Wright tells the story of the city from its earliest years up to the present day. Here you will find Evelyn's famous account of the Great Fire in 1666, Dickens' brilliant evocation of the Gordon Riots of 1780, Boswell's description of the compilation of Dr. Johnson's Dictionary, and Churchill's recollections of the Blitz. There are also less familiar, though no less vivid, excerpts, many of which provide an entertaining, sometimes risque, climpse into the life, customs and morals of this great city. Modern visitors and armchair readers alike are given a ringside view to the past and an unforgettable experience of the essential spirit of London.
Product Details
Price
$16.95
$15.76
Publisher
Interlink Books
Publish Date
January 03, 2023
Pages
432
Dimensions
5.51 X 8.19 X 0.79 inches | 1.05 pounds
Language
English
Type
Paperback
EAN/UPC
9781623717575
Earn by promoting books
Earn money by sharing your favorite books through our Affiliate program.
Become an affiliateAbout the Author
Wright was born near Ludlow in Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, to a Quaker family who had formerly lived in Bradford. He attended Ludlow Grammar School before graduating from Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1834. While in Cambridge, he contributed to the Gentleman's Magazine and other periodicals, and in 1835 he moved to London to pursue a literary career. In 1842, he was chosen corresponding member of Paris' Academie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres, as well as a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and a member of numerous other distinguished British and international organizations. In 1859, he oversaw the excavations of the Roman town of Viroconium Cornoviorum (Wroxeter), near Shrewsbury, and produced a report. The Drawing Room Portrait Gallery contains a portrait of him from October 1, 1859. Thomas Edward Bridgett, an English clergyman and historian, commented, "It is only when he has to speak of the Catholic Church that he is bitter and unfair."
Peter Ackroyd is an award-winning novelist, as well as a broadcaster, biographer, poet, and historian. He is the author of the acclaimed Thames: Sacred River, London: The Biography, and the first and second volumes of his history of England series, Foundation and Tudors. He holds a CBE award for services to literature.
Reviews
"The city which shaped Ackroyd's imagination and granted him one of the most distinguished literary careers of the late 20th century."
"London...Peter Ackroyd was born to write about [it]...if you want to know it better, to see it with your eyes wide open, then Ackroyd is your indispensable companion."
"Peter Ackroyd lives in London...the fuller version should read, London lives in Peter Ackroyd."
"London...Peter Ackroyd was born to write about [it]...if you want to know it better, to see it with your eyes wide open, then Ackroyd is your indispensable companion."
"Peter Ackroyd lives in London...the fuller version should read, London lives in Peter Ackroyd."