The Best London History Books
I have an issue with London history books. My issue is my flat is not big enough for my ever-growing collection of London history books.
Now that most of us are spending more time at home, I thought it might be helpful to share some of my absolute favourites. Here is a (completely biased) list of the best London history books!
All the books mentioned are available to purchase on Amazon at the time of publishing. I’d usually encourage you to go to your local bookshop but with closures and the possibility of self-isolating I thought it might be easier to link direct. They are affiliate links so if you do want to buy the books, Amazon gives me a small percentage of the sale.
I’d love to hear your suggestions as well so please drop me a comment at the end of the blog with your favourites!
1. London: A Biography
London: A Biography by Peter Ackroyd, published 2000
We may as well start with the definitive London history book. Yes it’s huge but it’s packed with fascinating tidbits and is a classic for a reason. It’s also nicely split into thematic sections. I listened on Audible which was narrated by Simon Callow, delightful! You can start a free trial on audible here.
2. London
London: A Novel by Edward Rutherfurd, published 1997
London is a novel, an incredible story of the whole of the city’s history told through a handful of fictional families. From before the Romans arrived you meet the main protagonists and then each part skips to their successors right up until The Second World War.
You live the city’s whole history through the eyes of the characters and have a visceral connection to epic events through London’s story. Instead of reading the book I listened to it on audible (it’s 49hrs 22mins long) and the human stories interwoven with nuggets of London’s past make it a unique experience.
3. London: A Time Travel Guide Through Time
London: A Travel Guide Through Time by Dr Matthew Green, published 2015
If you love your London history books packed with amazing anecdotes, this is the one for you. I have no idea where Dr Green gets these delicious tidbits but they truly bring London’s history alive.
The premise of the book is that the reader is a time traveller, able to touch an old object in London and be transported into different stages of London’s past. You hurtle into precise moments in time, from the stinking streets of the City in 1390 to the bomb-ravage party scene of the Kings Road in 1957. The descriptions are vivid and the tone is like a chatty and deeply knowledgable tour guide.
4. Everything You Know About London Is Wrong
Everything You Know About London Is Wrong by Matt Brown, published 2016
What self-respecting London aficionado could resist this click-baity title? Not I!
The Author, Matt Brown, is the editor of The Londonist and is one of the most diligent researchers of London’s quirky history that I know. This book is pretty self-explanatory, working its myth-busting way through plenty of classic London tales; No. There are no old Newgate prison cells under Newgate Tavern; No. Jimi Hendrix didn’t release the first parakeets in London; No. Boudicca is not buried under platform 10 at King’s Cross.
But far from being preachy, the answers are often more fascinating than the myths and Matt charms and rejoices in sharing the truth and debating London’s history nitpickers.
5. Rivers of London
Rivers of London, by Ben Aaronovitch, published 2011
Another fiction title to add to the list, the Rivers of London series is a joy and perfect for binge-reading. They centre around PC Grant, the likeable Metropolitan Police Officer who is a self-identifying London history geek.
The twist is that PC Grant stumbles upon London’s magical underbelly and is plunged into a world where subterranean ‘lost’ Rivers are Goddesses, an army of trolls live in the Crossrail tunnels and he suddenly has to train to be a wizard! Full of London in-jokes and references, Aaronovitch also doesn’t pull an punches when it comes to descriptions of our Police force and any aspects of London he doesn’t like. I read it grinning from ear to ear.
6. Spitalfields
Spitalfields by Dan Cruickshanks, published 2016
You may need to clear some space on your bookshelf for Spitalfields, but it’s worth it. Cruickshank’s chunky history of this small area of London is exquisitely detailed and well-researched.
From its very beginnings until pretty much the present day, we become intimately acquainted with the many colourful characters, nationalities and professions that have left their traces on this patch of East London. It is intense and thorough. (I have to admit I skipped over some of the passages that concentrated on architectural details and street plans) but it’s best when focussed on the human stories of Spitalfields, of which there are plenty.
7. The Five
The Five by Hallie Rubenhold, published 2019
For a lot of visitors to London, a “Jack the Ripper” tour is one of the highlights of their trip. For a lot of Londoners too, it’s the first walking tour that springs to mind. The story is seemingly well known, a Victorian cloak-clad man stalked the streets hunting down the East End’s sex workers.
That was until Hallie published her thoroughly researched, bombshell of a book that for the first time gave the victims the focus they deserve.
The Five is deeply emotional as you walk the lives of the five ‘canonical’ victims. You know how each story ends and so you silently beg the women to avoid Whitechapel as the state, their relationships and often their own actions, fail them again and again. It’s also a rallying call to change our perceptions on these women and above all to remember them; Polly, Annie, Catherine, Elizabeth and Mary Jane.
8. Mudlarking
Mudlarking: Lost and Found on the River Thames by Lara Maiklem, published 2019
Mudlarking, if you weren’t aware, is when you search the Thames foreshore in the hope of finding a piece of London’s history. They say one man’s rubbish is another’s treasure, well this book proves there is depth and beautiful stories behind every tiny thing that has fallen into the river.
Mudlarking reads more like a diary, which is a good thing. We hear a personal account of her times down on the foreshore and gain a better appreciate of the art of mudlarking, from the concentration of looking to the patience of restoring. Apart from her finds, she also shares the history of the River and its relevant areas so there’s plenty of fodder for history lovers.
The one thing readers might miss with the hardback edition is the lack of images of the finds. Happily though, Lara has an accompanying Instagram account with all the images in chapter order for you to peruse! If you prefer the paperback, that does have the images printed.
9. Georgian London
Again, packed with anecdotes, Inglis gives a lively view of 18th Century London. Each chapter focuses on a geographical area and there are loads of fun stories to enjoy. My copy is covered in notes!
Georgian London: Into the Streets by Lucy Inglis, published 2013
In a similar vein to Georgian London, Liza Picard has a fabulous selection of books and they are also full of juicy stories and give a real sense of what life was like. I’ve read her books on Victorian and Restoration London and can highly recommend them.
Over to you!
So what are you favourites? Are there any others I need to read and have you also read some of these? Let me know in the comments.
More London Inspiration
Nestled behind the Bank of England you can find St Margaret Lothbury. It’s easy to miss, hemmed in by other buildings, but if open it’s well worth popping in to admire its treasures and history. (I’ve previously written about the beautiful Italianate building next door,......
Within the extensive grounds of Chatsworth House in Derbyshire you can find remnants of inspiration for one of London’s most extraordinary buildings, The Crystal Palace. It gave its name to an area of London (and a football team!) but thanks to a disastrous fire you......
Have you admired this dolls house-esque building on Tower Hill? This is Trinity House, an institution whose history stretches back to 1514, based here since 1794. What is Trinity House? Today Trinity House is a charity and its primary concern is the safety of shipping......
For the everyday passerby, there’s not much reason to venture into Strand Lane. It’s not a convenient cut through to the Strand however it has two quite amazing bits of history to discover! I’ve previously covered one of them on the blog, the history of......
As part of my new walking tour Hidden Wonders of Waterloo I’ve been researching the history of Surrey Chapel, an 18th century church that once stood by Southwark Station. Although it no longer stands today, it’s a prime example of the historic twists and turns......
Transport a 12th century monk to Aldgate today and there’s very little that they’d recognise. However inside this office block you can find a tiny part of an epic Medieval Priory where they’d feel right at home! If you’re passing 77 Leadenhall Street, peer through......
