Robert Geoffrey Trease (1909-1998) was a prolific writer, publishing 113 books between 1934 (Bows Against the Barons) and 1997 (Cloak for a Spy). His work has been translated into 20 languages. His grandfather was a historian, and was one of the main influences towards Trease's work.
He is best known for writing children's historical novels, whose content reflects his insistence on historically correct backgrounds, which he meticulously researched. However, with his ground-breaking study Tales Out of School (1949), he was also a pioneer of the idea that children's literature should be a serious subject for study and debate. When he began his career, his radical viewpoint was a change from the conventional and often jingoistic tone of most children's literature of the time, and he was one of the first authors who deliberately set out to appeal to both boys and girls and to feature strong leading characters of both sexes.
London, A Concise History truly was that. It gave me so many new pieces that filled the empty years that I had not read about. I was taken by the way Geoffrey Trease wrote with factual information but with a personal touch in his writing, you sometimes don't' get in a history book. Little factoids like the burning of the town across the Thames. That story was rather sad for the townspeople, but it made me smile to see how he wrote the event.
The book was full of those moments and that made it a lively read and not dull and boring. It is a great way to catch up on your history of London. As I mentioned, it had so many unknowns to me that I was just enjoying every page.
If you love history or are just interested in knowing what you didn't know about London, this book is a perfect read.
I decided to read this book because I enjoyed Geoffrey Trease's historical fiction, and this book was free on Kindle. And also because I love London. I was not disappointed. The book is informative and readable, with lots of interesting facts and stories about historical events in the life of the city. Many of the places I know in today's London have extra resonance for me now I know a bit of their history. Anyone who loves London will enjoy this book.