London: A Guide for Curious Wanderers: THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

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London is famous for its museums, each one full of treasures and relics – but the biggest museum in the capital is the city itself. From the stories behind unusual street names, to the trees in our parks; railings made from recycled WWII stretchers, to shrapnel damage on walls; the hidden symbols on post boxes, to prehistoric tree trunks – there is a rich history hidden in the oft-overlooked details of the city's streets, gardens, parks and buildings. This richly detailed and beautifully illustrated book provides a miscellany of historic features and curiosities to spot as you wander around the capital.

See London in a completely new light in this guide to the city’s hidden secrets, untold stories and special places laden with history which you can discover for yourself! Overall I think this is a brilliant book, and is not only handy if you’re planning on going for a stroll around London, but also if you simply want to learn some interesting facts and know more about the city’s history. I, for one, am about to annoy my friends and family to no-end with all my new knowledge, and would quite like to book a trip down to London, specifically to see the tiny cheese and mice sculpture on Philpot Lane. The items featured are random, quirky, and idiosyncratic representing virtually every era of London history. The featured items include architectural details, urban features, and easily overlooked evidence of historical events. The explanations are provided in text formatted like museum placards. Some examples include evidence of London bombings during WW2, London’s largest graffiti wall, London’s smallest sculpture, “Two Mice Eating Cheese,” and fossilized tree stumps thought to be millions of years old. Maps for four walks are also provided. I grew up in Essex and London has always been a fascinating and exhilarating place to me. I have also always had a passion for history. When I was younger my brothers would be taken to football matches at the weekends, I would be taken on day trips to the British museum. I am a big fan of museums and books but, even more so, I am interested in the tangible, liveable and breathable history we are surrounded by as we go about our everyday lives.I LOVE this book. It’s equal parts amazing coffee table book and practical guide. It’s full of interesting historical facts about London and contains beautiful illustrations. I wish there were more illustrations! This was so fascinating to read! London for the Curious Wanderers is just that - a guide to help you spot all the little gems the city has to offer, that you might just walk by otherwise! This book is here to help you out. It even has a walking tour map, at the end of each section, so you can go and spot quite a few of the curios for yourself. This richly detailed and beautifully illustrated book provides a miscellany of historic features and curiosities to spot as you wander around the capital. Whether you've always wondered why there are cattle troughs on your route to work, why bollards often look like upside down cannons or wanted to know what a Victorian stink pipe is - this book will provide the tools to decipher London's secret code, and introduce you to a treasure trove of hidden spots to explore.

See London in a completely new light in this unearthing of the city's hidden sescrets and untold stories, special places laden with history which you can discover for yourself Readers are offered four walks through London. The first goes from Tower Hill Station to Liverpool Street Station. Next is Tottenham Court Road Station to Trafalgar Square. Third is London Bridge Station to Borough Station. Finally, there is a walk from Westminster Station to Berkeley Square. But this does suitably look up, down and sideways, while encouraging us to do the same. Here are signs still existing to WW2 air raid shelters, ancient statues, and so much more. We get several urban myths dismissed (such as equine feet on statuary, for one), and all told there is enough here to guarantee its worth. (I wish I'd known about the very early Tube map the last time I was around Temple.) This would be an ideal coffee table book and also good to have in e-book form to guide you around the capital, particularly if following any of the suggested walking maps. There are two versions of this book on Goodreads that I cannot combine...hopefully it will be remedied soon by the request that I put through to their librarians.London is famous for its museums, each one full of treasures and relics – but the biggest museum in the capital is the city itself. From the stories behind unusual street names to the trees in our parks; railings made from recycled WWII stretchers to shrapnel damage on walls; the hidden symbols on post boxes, to prehistoric tree trunks – there is a rich history hidden in the oft-overlooked details of the city's streets, gardens, parks and buildings.

Exploring cities on foot and finding interesting quirks and details is quite fun. To go beyond standard “big” tourist attractions, to find fascinating little tidbits just hiding in plain sight — it is a great thing for any city explorer. This richly detailed and beautifully illustrated book provides a miscellany of historic features to spot as you wander around the capital. Whether you've always wondered why there are cattle troughs on your route to work; why bollards often look like upside down cannons; want to know what a Victorian stink pipe is; or just want to be armed with knowledge when you explore new parts of the city - this book will provide the tools to deciphering London's secret code, and introduce you to a treasure trove of hidden spots to discover. In 2021 I took part in Open City’s Golden Key Academy guiding course and in October 2021 started running my guided walks of London’s hidden history. My walks focus on one area of London at a time, with the aim to uncover its stories, point out the little details many miss, really get under the city’s skin and ultimately share my passion for the city’s history. Thinking of traveling to England’s capital? Are you just an armchair traveler? Want to get a unique take on London? Whichever applies, this book is a good guide. This richly detailed and beautifully illustratedbook provides a miscellany of historic features and curiosities to spot as you wander around the capital. Whether you've always wondered why there are cattle troughs on your route to work, why bollards often look like upside down cannons orwanted to know what a Victorian stink pipe is this book will provide the tools to decipherLondon's secret code, and introduce you to a treasure trove of hidden spots to explore.

So, pop on a sturdy pair of shoes and get ready to turn the city into the museum you never knew you had. I started this blog to share my journey discovering London’s fascinating past, by walking its bustling grand streets, diving down its mysterious alleyways and strolling along the banks of the Thames. I believe that the city itself is the greatest and most interesting museum of all. Having seen the creator of this book as someone's guest on youtube I knew it would not be too shoddy, but I didn't expect it to be on the slight and gentle side I at first felt it to be. The first chapter, taking us almost to the one-third mark, concerns a walk through London's architectural history, from the Roman flooring and Norman arches that are so close geographically if not temporally to buildings designed by a chap who passed away as this was readied for publication that could melt cars parked beneath them. See London in a completely new light inthis guide to the city's hidden secrets,untold stories andspecial places laden with history which you can discover for yourself! A lovely guide to more obscure things to see in London, in which everyone, even a seasoned London nerd, finds something new. It's obviously a labour of love, detailed but written lightly and entertainingly. The illustrations are amazing as well. I particularly like the maps for self-guided walks after each section - as an introverted traveller, I'll be using those a lot!

London is famous for its museums, each one full of treasures and relics but the biggest museum in the capital is the city itself. From the stories behind unusual street names, to the trees in our parks; railings made from recycled WWII stretchers, to shrapnel damage on walls; the hidden symbols on post boxes, to prehistoric tree trunks there is a rich history hidden in the oft-overlooked details of the citys streets, gardens, parks and buildings. In the introduction, the author states that he wants to show explorers lots of hidden corners. He also want to provide an “ability to read London.” Sounds good. The perfect gift/treat for Londoners or someone visiting the city who wants to get to grips with the history hiding in plain sight all around them.London is famous for its museums, each one full of treasures and relics – but the biggest museum in the capital is the city itself. From the stories behind unusual street names, to the trees in our parks; railings made from recycled WWII stretchers, to shrapnel damage on walls; the hidden symbols on post boxes, to prehistoric tree trunks – there is a rich history hidden in the oft-overlooked details of the city's streets, gardens, parks and buildings. This richly detailed and beautifully illustrated book provides a miscellany of historic features and curiosities to spot as you wander around the capital. Whether you’ve always wondered why there are cattle troughs on your route to work , why bollards often look like upside down cannons or wanted to know what a Victorian stink pipe is – this book will provide the tools to decipher London’s secret code, and introduce you to a treasure trove of hidden spots to explore.