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Martin Latham
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Londonopolis: A Curious and Quirky History of London Kindle Edition

by Martin Latham (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 103 ratings
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This curious history of London whisks you down the rabbit hole and into the warren of backstreets, landmarks, cemeteries, palaces, markets, museums and secret gardens of the great metropolis. Meet the cockneys, politicians, fairies, philosophers, gangsters and royalty that populate the city, their stories becoming curiouser and curiouser as layers of time and history are peeled back.

Find out which tube station once housed the Elgin Marbles and what lies behind a Piccadilly doorway that helped Darwin launch his theory of evolution and caused the Swedes to wage war against Britain. Do you believe in fairies? Do you know which Leadenhall site became a Nag's Head tavern, morphing into the mighty East India Company, before taking flight as the futuristic Lloyds Building? Who named the Natural History Museum's long-tailed dinosaur Mr Whippy?

Spanning above and below ground, from the outer suburbs to the inner city, and from the medieval period to the modern day, Londonopolis is a celebration of the weird and the wonderful that makes the mysterious city of London so magical.

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  1. Print length
    266 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Batsford
  5. Publication date
    November 6, 2014
  6. File size
    8785 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dr Martin Latham has a PhD in history from London University and was a lecturer at Hertfordshire University before becoming a bookseller. He has managed Waterstones bookshop in Canterbury for over 30 years - the longest-serving Waterstones manager. He is proud of ordering the excavation of the Roman Bath-House floor at his bookshop, paying for it with the biggest petty cash slip in Waterstones history.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00P1G7ZA6
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Batsford; Illustrated edition (November 6, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 6, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 8785 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 266 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 103 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Martin Latham

Martin Latham

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Still bookselling after 36 years, do get in touch about anything by writing a letter to Waterstones Canterbury. Especially if you have ever seen a ghost.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
103 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Newman B. Pickering
5.0 out of 5 stars Quirky and entertaining rollercoaster through London's History
Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2022
Verified Purchase
I loved this little book. An easy read, but each section takes a close look at some aspect of London's history, age by age. Bookstores, Shakespeare, brutalist architecture, the Thames - all get something in depth. While arranged chronologically, this is not a history but a connected series of wonderful short anecdotes. Highly recommended for those who want to understand how this great city become what it is today.
One person found this helpful
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Kathleen A. Baxter
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely delightful!
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2017
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This is absolutely delightful, hard to put down! You will laugh and find it impossible not to read certain stories aloud to anyone else in the vicinity. My husband does NOT love London the way I do, but he is enjoying it just as much as I did, and at times reading the same stories aloud to me that I read aloud to him.
One person found this helpful
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Amy Helton
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2018
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Very interesting book!
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James J.
5.0 out of 5 stars Curious and Entertaining
Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2017
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If you seek to gain a deeper learning of historical tidbits surrounding London, this will please. It is not a travel or guide book, but if you are going to be in London, and have retained some of the history in this entertaining book, you shall be able to "pop-off" like an expert on local history!
One person found this helpful
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CarlaJ
5.0 out of 5 stars London — Seriously Entertaining
Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2018
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Quirky historical anecdotes throughout London's history, arranged chronologically, by chapter. Well-chosen, interesting content that's well-written, too. This is not an academic journey through time. More like a fun romp through the ages. Very enjoyable!
One person found this helpful
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Flemingbird
4.0 out of 5 stars Love the book
Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2015
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Very fun book -- glad we bought it in time for our London trip next month!
One person found this helpful
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Jane Raines
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2016
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One of my favorite all-time books because of the many esoteric facts. So interesting to me!
One person found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
2.0 out of 5 stars Not for beginners
Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2018
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Perhaps I should have heeded the warnings that this is not a tour or guide book, but I like my history with a bit more substance (names, dates, places). I found the writing style a bit too artistic for my taste, some interesting stories but often told without the requisite detail to make them memorable and meaningful, perhaps better suited to someone with an already extensive knowledge of London's history.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Jeff Fleming
5.0 out of 5 stars Its good when you buy someone a present and it arrives in time!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 18, 2021
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This was a present for a friend. Good quality and well wrapped for the post and arrived in plenty of time. Well done
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Paolo
5.0 out of 5 stars Soddisfatto
Reviewed in Italy on April 26, 2017
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Edizione molto curata, bella impaginazione e ben fatto, contenuti davvero molto interessanti e utili per approfondire la conoscenza dell'inglese, collana editoriale che non delude mai le aspettative del lettore, spedizione rapidissima e imballaggio buono, davvero molto soddisfatto.
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Nannypat
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 7, 2017
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Bought this for a friends husband as a gift. He boasts about knowing all there is to know about London but he has been amazed at the facts he has uncovered and is delighted with the book.
5 people found this helpful
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Patti
5.0 out of 5 stars A Guide of London for Citizens of the Town and Visitors
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 9, 2015
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I thought I knew London, lots of exploring to do after reading this very interesting book.
4 people found this helpful
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pauline
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 15, 2016
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Great gift for anyone interested in london's less known history
4 people found this helpful
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