A Short History of London

by Sinead Fitzgibbon

Regardless of whether we live in London or only visit the city occasionally, most of us tend to limit our knowledge of its history to the great buildings and the popular tourist attractions. But, the story of a city can be also be found in the most innocuous of places – in every street, every contour of the landscape, even in the ground beneath our feet. A Short History of London aims to bring this fact alive, and in doing so, help readers to appreciate what has made London the city it is today.

'A Short History of London' is the first in a series of concise yet comprehensive e-books which deal exclusively with the history of world cities. Future titles will include Dublin, Paris and Rome.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Cities

ebook

First published December 17, 2012

About the author

Sinead Fitzgibbon graduated from university with a degree in Economics, before leaving her native Ireland to work in investment banking in Sydney for six years.

She returned to the UK in 2007 to pursue her writing career. She has always loved history, literature and art – and spends most weekends browsing London’s multitude of museums, art galleries and bookshops.

Favourite author: Virginia Woolf
Favourite book: Mrs Dalloway
Favourite artist: Caravaggio
Favourite place: Victoria & Albert Museum
Favourite food: Chocolate
Favourite quote: "You might be poor, your shoes might be broken, but your mind is a palace." - Frank Mc Court, Angela's Ashes

Reviews

[ann white · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

I really enjoyed reading the short and concise history of london. I also liked the way it is divided into history of the city, underground and some of London's colourful characters. This book has made me want to read more about our glorious capital city in more depth

[Hans Rigelman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice Little Summary of London History

I like these little snapshots of historical places. They're good reminders of other things we read, or they enlighten us to dig further into the stories we didn't know.

[Bandit · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short history that could. And did. This slender volume provides exactly what it promises. London is vast in almost every possible way; the sort of place that would easily lend itself to a seven or eight hundred page history that been tricky to summarize so succinctly, yet the author here did a very credible job. Era after era from the city’s origins as an unwelcoming Roman outpost to the modern metropolis.
The book also includes a small section on London’s underground. And a section of select biographies whose subjects are all notable and only slightly random, from a bard to a clock.
All in all, this book is a great primer on the subject written in a fun accessible style. Pretty good for a random kindle freebie. Recommended.

[Colin Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recommended

Perfect coffee table fodder for the half-arsed history buff. Covers all the basics of London's past. Ideal for anyone wanting to know a little more about our capital without being bombarded with large lists of names and dates.

[Keaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Read

Enjoyable read. I learned many new things I wasn't previously aware of! It is a simple, but entertaining read. Thanks!

[George Peryer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book to give you a quick insight into the history of London and how it came to be as it is today. Very interesting and worth a read.

[David Bradshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

london in short

[Dr. Pj Forrest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Good

Entertaining and informative. This book gives an overview of the history of London without getting bogged down in details and dates.