A London Safari: Walking Adventures in NW10

by Rose Rouse

Rose’s realisation that she knows almost nothing about the people and places she has encountered every day for years will be a familiar one for city dwellers all over Britain. For Rose, it sparks the inspiration for an adventure through one of the most diverse and surprising London districts. Fearless in her quest to learn more, Rose – in the company of neighbours and friends including Louis Theroux and Alexei Sayle – explores the streets around her, meeting community activists, a tantric goddess, railway enthusiasts and the founders of the UK reggae scene along the way.Rose Rouse has lived in Harlesden for eighteen years. She is the author of two previous books and has written extensively for the Guardian and the Observer, as well as reviewed music for the Times. Honest, whimsical and always with an eye for the unexpected, her willingness to talk, to explore and to open her mind to new experiences invites us to share her love for this ever-changing community.As Louis Theroux says in his introduction to this book: “Harlesden represents something bigger than itself. It is a petri dish of what is happening – in less concentrated ways – across Britain.”

224 pages, Paperback

First published October 7, 2014

Reviews

[PJ Ebbrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I use to live in Park Royal and this was an eye opener. Harlesden is one of those in between places but this brings it back into the main focus. Several walks around the area, makes you want to look at the place in a new way.