Migrant City: A New History of London

by Panikos Panayi

The first history of London to show how immigrants have built, shaped and made a great success of the capital city

London is now a global financial and multicultural hub in which over three hundred languages are spoken. But the history of London has always been a history of immigration.

Panikos Panayi explores the rich and vibrant story of London– from its founding two millennia ago by Roman invaders, to Jewish and German immigrants in the Victorian period, to the Windrush generation invited from Caribbean countries in the twentieth century. Panayi shows how migration has been fundamental to London’s economic, social, political and cultural development.

Migrant City sheds light on the various ways in which newcomers have shaped London life, acting as cheap labour, contributing to the success of its financial sector, its curry houses, and its football clubs. London’s economy has long been driven by migrants, from earlier continental financiers and more recent European Union citizens. Without immigration, fueled by globalization, Panayi argues, London would not have become the world city it is today.

Genres: London, History, Nonfiction, British Literature, Race, Sociology

384 pages, Hardcover

Published April 7, 2020

Reviews

[Cade · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book reads more like a collection of research notes that are collected together. The author was trying to argue a point, but the book was mostly just a lot of statistics and facts and stating statistics isn't the same as making an argument. I came to this book hoping to get a story. Some depth into the migrant history of London. If nothing else, at least get a glimpse into his own migrant history, but there is no story here, and that was disappointing.

It would be a fantastic resource for others studying migrant history in London. He has collected an amazing amount of information and the book is well researched and documented.

[Bethan Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about my favourite thing about my favourite place. It’s between a 3.5 and a 4 but I’ll give it a 4 as love the subject matter. I learned a lot but the book was DENSE, maybe a bit too dense for my holiday reading with an aperol lol. I really enjoyed some of the chapters e.g. about restaurants, revolutionary politics, sport and music, whereas the one about the formation of banking was quite boring. The book was also a little Euro-centric for me, potentially because the focus was on the early 1900s where European migration was higher, but I think that the contributions of migrants from outside of Europe could have been emphasised and celebrated a bit more.

[Amanda Rosso · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and thoroughly documented. The bibliography is impressive. Panayi explores several aspects of the influence that migration had and is having on London's landscape, moving from sport to cuisine, music and politics. It's not and it couldn't be a complete work on migration but it's rich in scope and meaning, and the sources are so extensive that anyone can start from it to deep their knowledge on the various topics touched upon by the author.

[Sofia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A interesting book with an interesting focus. Clearly the author knows his stuff, which does lead the book to feel as if information is being crammed into a few pages.

I would have liked this more if it was a bit better organised - perhaps chronologically?

[Ayodeji Alaka · Rating 3 out of 5]

An insightful read.

[Alexi Ssss · Rating 2 out of 5]

This could have benefited from MAJOR edits - surprising it got published as is. There is an interesting book in there somewhere