Curiocity: An Alternative A-Z of London

by Henry Eliot, Matt Lloyd-Rose

Curiocity is a London book unlike any other. Its 26 chapters weave together facts, myths, stories, riddles, essays, diagrams, illustrations and itineraries to explore every aspect of life in the capital. At the heart of each chapter is a hand-drawn map, charting everything from thecity's islands and underground spaces, to its erogenous zones and dystopian futures. Taking you from Atlas to Zones, via Congestion, Folkmoot, Pearls and Xenophilia, Curiocity will transform the way you see London.

Genres: Travel, London, Nonfiction, History

464 pages, Paperback

First published August 4, 2016

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 2 out of 5]

An A to Z of London with a humorous and eclectic feel. I thought I'd like this much more than I did. Several illustrators worked on this book, I enjoyed Steven Appleby's illustrations, it felt odd moving into a different style on different sections. I loved the page on cockney rhyming slang, it was more like half a page and would have liked this to be more like a whole section. Some writing, maps, keys are in minute detail which had me squinting even with glasses next to a reading light. A whole section was devoted to sex, it wasn't particularly interesting or funny and I expect not all that particular to London, unlike cockney rhyming slang.

The book is attractive to look through, I expect others may have a more enjoyable read with this than I did, several reviewers have rated this highly.

[Neal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully presented and illustrated. A book which I will be dipping into for years to come!

[Jaimie · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I returned from London in the middle of June 2016 I was even more enamoured with the city that I had long dreamed about. Visiting the places where many of my icons and inspirations had walked and lived only stoked my fire to know more about this magic-filled city - which I have since referred to as the Wonder City, after seeing a performance of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Globe as part of their Summer of Wonder. In typical fashion, I delved into even more books set in the city, but when I heard about the artistic reimagining of London which would become Cutiocity I had to get on the pre-order list. After having my order get cancelled by Chapters and having to resort to Amazon to fulfill my desires I finally received my neon-red cloth-bound copy of the tome - which would then go on to sit neglected on my TBR pile for almost 3 years... Even though it took ages to get to, the book was worth the wait, because its filled chalk-a-block full of wit and whimsy about London. Some chapters I could take or leave (sports, uck), but the authors covered almost everything that one could hope for in an alternative travel guide masquerading as a coffee table art book. I especially liked their inclusion of figures and locales from the literary, music, and queer populations, while largely avoiding the taint of celebrity stalking. Sure, the royal family and the Beatles are mentioned, but in such a passing way that they become part of the London landscape alongside all the other weird and wonderful people of London. In theory, this book could have been another 500 pages long, and they still would barely have scratched the surface, but even so the amount of material that they managed to cram in was adorable. Maybe a sequel in the future? I would definitely buy it, and I'll definitely be getting copies of their neighbourhood/thematic maps the next time I visit London (hopefully next year)!

[Dr. Hannah Mathew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad I stumbled into this one day while visiting my neighbourhoods little free library. This guide is beyond words - from art, history, culture, and nature this covers it all. Folk tales about how things in London came to be, and hidden spots and mysterious locations.
I have already bookmarked some interesting spots to visit in london, all from this book. A must have for the adventurous and curious soul who lives in or even visits london. I reckon it will take me a while to go through the book completely to uncover London’s unusual secrets, but I’m glad I have the perfect guide! This has made me even more grateful to be living in the cultural melting pot and this ever changing rich and vibrant city!

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A magical and inspiring guide to off-the-beaten-track London

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this during lockdown in London. Made me look forward to exploring more once things opened up again.