Imagined London: A Tour of the World's Greatest Fictional City

by Anna Quindlen

Anna Quindlen first visited London from a chair in her suburban Philadelphia home—in one of her beloved childhood mystery novels. She has been back to London countless times since, through the pages of books and in person, and now, in Imagined London, she takes her own readers on a tour of this greatest of literary cities.While New York, Paris, and Dublin are also vividly portrayed in fiction, it is London, Quindlen argues, that has always been the star, both because of the primacy of English literature and the specificity of city descriptions. She bases her view of the city on her own detailed literary map, tracking the footsteps of her favorite the places where Evelyn Waugh's bright young things danced until dawn, or where Lydia Bennett eloped with the dastardly Wickham.In Imagined London, Quindlen walks through the city, moving within blocks from the great books of the 19th century to the detective novels of the 20th to the new modernist tradition of the 21st. With wit and charm, Imagined London gives this splendid city its full due in the landscape of the literary imagination.Praise for Imagined "Shows just how much a reading experience can enrich a physical journey." —New York Times Book Review"An elegant new work of nonfiction... People will be inspired by this book." —Ann Curry, Today"An affectionate, richly allusive tribute to the city." —Kirkus Reviews

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, London, Memoir, British Literature, Books About Books, History

65 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2004

About the author

Anna Marie Quindlen is an American author, journalist, and opinion columnist.
Her New York Times column, Public and Private, won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 1992. She began her journalism career in 1974 as a reporter for the New York Post. Between 1977 and 1994 she held several posts at The New York Times. Her semi-autobiographical novel One True Thing (1994) served as the basis for the 1998 film starring Meryl Streep and Renée Zellweger.

Reviews

[Antoinette · Rating 3 out of 5]

London, without a doubt, is one of my favourite cities in the world. I like the atmosphere, the culture, the food, the feeling that I am visiting places where many of my favourite books take/ took place or where so many of my, yes favourite, authors live or have lived.

I enjoyed this literary trip I got to take with this book, but at the same time I was disappointed. There was something missing. I would have preferred if she had been more focused , whether it to with the author she was referring to or the area of London she was describing. I loved all the references to books, but I needed more than that.

Like me, I could sense Anna Quindlen’s love of London and its literature, but it wasn’t enough of a literary travelogue to suit this reader.

Published: 2004

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I ended up only skimming this book, though I loved the introduction and adore the concept. For me, Quindlen never quite found the right balance. She either went very in-depth on a few works (albeit famous ones) including quotes and, sometimes, plot turns (many spoilers to be found here!) or simply mentioned a few cursory details on several titles. Also, I just didn't get enough of a SENSE of London from the pages; it really didn't seem like a travelogue -- and maybe it wasn't meant to be, but I didn't FEEL like I was in London as I read the book. A few of the references to history, food and "the language barrier" (for "American" speakers) are nice, but, again, too brief. It's clear that Quindlen loves English literature and loves London, but this almost feels more like Quindlen's half of a conversation with someone who has read all the books she has read and been to all the places in London she has been and is nodding in agreement/understanding at everything said--already knowing what is left unsaid. I guess that, having been to London myself (if only briefly!) I felt much more could be said for those of us desiring armchair travel to this amazing city...

[Kathleen Flynn]

Anna Quindlen is an entertaining writer whose words go down easily. I enjoyed thinking about novels and London vicariously with her in "Imagined London." One thing that marred my pleasure, though, was how "Forever Amber," a best-selling bodice ripper of yesteryear, was referenced on page 12 as being a Regency romance published in 1945, and on page 81 as Restoration-era romance published in 1944. Anyone can make a mistake, but this is why we have editors. And the edition I found on the street was not the first printing of this book, so I can only guess nobody noticed or cared. This makes me fear the editors were just, "Oh Anna Quindlen and books! People will eat this thing up!" and nobody bothered to check anything, it was all just phoned in. Which can't help make me wonder what else might be wrong in this little book that is less glaringly obvious than the same novel described two different ways less than 100 pages apart.

[AdiTurbo · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writer is clearly an Anglophile and a serious book nerd, like me, but there was something about this little book that did not work, even though I identified with her enthusiasm and joy at being in London for the first time. I think what spoiled it for me was the generalizations about the British, which I found to be usually totally wrong, from my experience. For example, she complains about the fact that she stood for ages looking lost at some spot, and no one would come to her help in London, whereas she claims that in New York, people would jump up to help her. My experience is the complete opposite, and sometime in the 80s, I had a Lord in a top hat and Savile Row three-piece suit stop their limo next to me in London to help me out when I was browsing my map. In New York, which she claims is warm but I felt was cold and business-like through and through, no one would look at my direction. Whenever I visited England I found the English to be very warm and friendly, nothing like the stereotypes about them. And this is part of the reason that I cannot enjoy reading such stereotypes in travel books. Some are and some aren't, in every people on this earth. There may have been a few other problems with this book, but this is what bothered me the most.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a rather beautiful book that is details, on a basic level, the London of literature. It isn't a history of the city or a detailed guide, but more about the connection between the real place and the London of Literature. Quindlen's love for the city comes across quite well, and her prose is pleasure to read. I can't say that I learned anything, but it does make a good companion or follow up to Peter Ackroyd's biography of the city.

[Corinne Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagined London isn't really a travel book. It's more of a place book. An homage. Anna's love of London - its' characters both real and imagined, its' spaces both past and present - is an essential and relevant part of this book. She doesn't pretend to be anything but a huge fan of this amazing city and the works of literature it has both inspired and produced.

If you are a lover of British literature, many names and book titles will thrill you with their familiarity as Quindlen gives us a tour around London. Of course there is Dickens and Shakespeare, but we meet Heyer and Waugh, Austen and Doyle as we make our literary way. It's not the sort of book you'd necessarily take with you on a journey - but one you'd want to read beforehand, to get your feet wet a bit and know how to best use your time if seeing bookish sites is one of your top priorities.

But more than all that, Quindlen is also thinking about herself as a reader and as an American who loves everything British and about the way we imagine things in our head versus the way they are in real life. Perhaps a city like London just has to be appreciated in many different levels - as the place that it was, the place it was only ever imagined to be and the place that it actually is. Quindlen's got a beautiful style and while maybe the subject of this book isn't for everyone, for what it is, it is beautifully done.

[Story · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely book. I felt as though Quindlen was writing about my childhood experiences of my own imagined London.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven’t read much of the literature referenced in this book but it did make me miss traveling and wandering around in search of places you’ve read about…or just wandering around exploring a new place.

[André · Rating 4 out of 5]

Citaat : Achter elke Londense deur gaan geschiedenissen schuil, en geesten. De grootste schrijvers uit de geschiedenis van het geschreven woord hebben ze vorm gegeven, tot leven gewekt.
Review : Wie een beetje van Britse literatuur houdt weet dat Londen hier erg centraal in staat. De Amerikaanse Anna Quindlen (1953) kreeg de Pulitzer Prijs 1992 voor haar journalistieke werk en publiceerde 4 romans. Zij is een fan van Britse literatuur en dol op Londen. Ze schrijft een column in Newsweek en woont in New York. Toch heeft het heel lang geduurd voor ze Londen bezocht. Ze sloeg de kansen die ze als journaliste kreeg om naar Londen te gaan -bijvoorbeeld verslaggeving van het huwelijk van kroonprins Charles met Diana Spencer- af, omdat ze bang was dat de stad waarop ze sinds haar kindertijd verliefd was, zou tegenvallen. Pas als ze ± 47 is en een beurs krijgt om in de Londense wijk Soho aan een nieuw boek te werken, ziet ze de stad waarop ze al zo lang dol is voor het eerst, en bezoekt die daarna vaker.



Ze was al lang voordat ze als journaliste de Pulitzer Prize won en bestsellerauteur werd, een onverzadigbaar lezeres. En keer op keer, in het ene boek na het andere, belandde ze in Londen - in een Dickensiaans steegje met Oliver Twist, in een krappe bedstee met een van Barbara Pyms muurbloempjes of op stap met de Bright Young Things van Evelyn Waugh.

In Londen Literair analyseert ze haar lievelingsstad op drie wijzen: er is het fictieve Londen dat oprijst uit de pagina's van schrijvers als William Shakespeare, Virginia Woolf en Martin Amis en Charles Dickens; de historische metropool die onderdak heeft geboden aan al die onsterflijke schrijvers; en de zinderende hoofdstad die tegenwoordig bezoekers trekt uit de hele wereld.



Anna Quindlen verwerkt al deze drie steden in een prachtig eerbetoon. Ze schrijft over plaatsen in de stad die een rol spelen in het werk van bekende schrijvers als Virginia Woolf en Martin Amis, over de huizen van schrijvers als Dickens en ten slotte over huidige trends in maatschappij en literatuur. Het verslag van haar kennismaking met (literair) Londen is enig om te lezen voor wie van Londen en Britse literatuur houdt. Haar verhalen over haar jeudig enthousiasme toen ze een kind was om de personages uit bijvoorbeeld Oliver van Charles Dickens aanvaardbaar te maken voor een jong Amerikaans meisje zijn subliem. Ze brengt haar enthousiasme voor de stad goed op de lezer over en schrijft erg leuk over de cultuurverschillen tussen Amerikanen en Britten en over alles wat Londen zo speciaal maakt. Verlucht met 15 pagina's zwartwitfoto's van schrijvers, huizen en monumenten, en een kaart van Londen is dit aanstekelijk reisverhaal van een Amerikaanse romanschrijfster ook heel bruikbaar als informele gids.

[Sarah Fowler Wolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

If English literature is part of your formation as a human being, you'll love this beautifully descriptive and nostalgic book.

[Martina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,49

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for any Anglophile.

[Kiki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet little gem of a book. Anna Quindlen has a fondness for the London she's experienced through much of the classic English lit she's read throughout her life, beginning in her childhood. I share that fondness myself. So this book is a magical mystery tour for readers and lovers of London!

Quindlen visits London (finally as an adult) and revisits much of what she's read while she's there. Heavy on Dickens, Waugh and Trollope, there is plenty here for everyone. I myself love Forster and Austen (both mentioned), and there is a smattering of Shakespeare, Maugham, James (PD and Henry), Eliot(both George and TS), Chaucer, Browning, Woolf...she covers many a haunt..you may not have read them all, but even if you haven't, you will be encouraged to after this travelogue.

Quindlen's ramblings about her most favorite literary city and telling and warm, even when the city is not so friendly itself. She is obviously quite fond of the place, and reading this gave me even more of a hankering to visit there. It also added a few authors and books to my TBR pile. Charming, quirky adn quick, this book also shows off the immense talent of Quindlen as author and journalist, able to really express a feeling in one short sentence. I love her use of unusual and archaic language, which in the writings of others might come off as pretentious or overly scholarly, but in Quindlen's work, seems natural and the vocabulary of a great reader. I truly admire that. Neat little book.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I fully expected to breeze through this little book and totally love it. Sometimes life doesn't turn out as you expect and this was just one of those times. The beginning was wonderful as is the concept, but the execution just didn't enthrall me. I never felt I'd returned to the London of the past that I met through my books, or the London I lived in myself in the 70's or visited in the 80's. There were some great references, and I know Quindlen loves this city as much as I do (indeed, I'm always amazed when I find someone who doesn't love London.) And though my introduction to London came from writers of the past, it is via present day writers (and Dr Who) that I am able to visit the city again and discover it's current day vibrancy.

Still this was an interesting exercise from one of my favorite authors, and fun to sit on Quindlen's shoulder to hear her comments when she reads some of the greats.

[Liam Ostermann · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish I could have liked this book more, it is nice, but slight, maybe I just found it too much of the type of enthusiasm that leads people to pretend Sherlock Holmes was real. My two stars may be ungenerous but I am restraining myself from hating this book.

[Kaethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

My only problem with it, is that there wasn't more.

[Theresa Leone Davidson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This 160 or so page book is a love letter from the author to her favorite city, London, and while I loved the city on my two trips there, I wouldn’t put London in my top five. Quindlen, however, in love with all of the stories that take place in London, has an enthusiasm for the city that I admire. She writes about all of the special spots, all of the not so special spots, the people, the places made famous in literature. Good book that I recommend. And for the record, my top five: New York City, always, Warsaw, Florence, Paris, and Montreal.

[Kay Green · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of an unusual book. Anna Quindlen describes the places where some of the most famous books in London take place. I found that I enjoyed the parts referring to books I had read, but more I realized how many of the great classics set in London I have not read. Still a fun book to read while in London.
I would like a similar book about great movies filmed in London.

[Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

ONE zadie mention?? sad. I liked the beginning of this but it didn’t really have a direction or thesis to follow, and the chapters weren’t really organized by anything specific. a fun read for someone really into london and books but the contemporary authors deserve more recognition!!!

[Hadley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice introduction to London during my trip. I would have enjoyed it more if I understood all of the literary references.

[Roberta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anna Quindlen è una giornalista e scrittrice americana che fin dalla più tenera età è un'appassionata lettrice e che diventa ben presto un'anglofila in absentia, come dice lei stessa, cioè senza mai essere stata fisicamente in Inghilterra. Evitare un viaggio a Londra sembra per molti anni una missione: il motivo è la paura che la città non sia all'altezza delle sue enormi aspettative. Così Anna viaggia in poltrona fino a quando dopo i quarant'anni non cede (apparentemente, per la promozione di un suo libro). Questo è il resoconto di quel viaggio (e altri, successivi) e del tentativo di conciliare la Londra reale con la Londra creata dai libri.

Imagined London è una lettura estremamente piacevole per svariati motivi: Anna Quindlen ha una bella voce narrativa, parla di molti libri e scrittori (alcuni che conosco molto bene, altri solo di nome) e ovviamente parla di moltissimi posti di Londra che hanno una rilevanza letteraria particolare. La sua prosa è farcita di piccoli aneddoti, bocconcini di informazione che sono sicuramente piacevolissimi. Eppure Imagined London è per me il classico esempio di concept meraviglioso (appassionata lettrice visita Londra rivivendola alla luce delle sue letture anglofile) tradotto in un'esecuzione che non arriverei a definire sommaria, né fallimentare, ma piuttosto vagamente insoddisfacente.

La pecca più grande a mio avviso è la frammentarietà e la scarsa organizzazione del testo. I capitoli sono apparentemente organizzati per argomenti (l'impressione, almeno, è questa, inizialmente) ma non realmente. Di fatto i capitoli non sono organizzati né per argomenti, né per zone, né per autori o gruppi di autori, né seguono un itinerario reale. La confusione del testo non impedisce comunque di ammirare i riferimenti letterari, di prendersi nota di autori da approfondire o di libri da leggere, o di posti da visitare. Al di là di questo, è difficile puntare il dito sui difetti del libro (forse anche perché è il primo di questo genere che leggo).

Probabilmente per me è un problema il fatto che la narrazione è spesso impersonale. Mi spiego meglio. Quando leggo di viaggi nei blog che seguo, le persone si descrivono nell'atto di raggiungere un tal luogo (esempio: dove risiedeva l'editore di Charlotte Bronte) e pensare all'aneddoto legato (la visita di Charlotte al suo editore, che non riusciva a convincersi della sua identità - all'epoca i libri delle sorelle Bronte erano ancora pubblicati sotto pseudonimo). Continuando l'esempio delle Bronte, la blogger in questione passeggia per la City (qui era infatti l'ufficio dell'editore) cercando le cose che presumibilmente erano già lì nel 1848, anno della visita delle Bronte, e che loro potevano aver visto all'epoca. Questo approccio è meraviglioso perché mi dà l'impressione di essere a Londra con la narratrice, e anche di poter replicare personalmente la visita. La Quindlen invece parte dallo specifico (il suo amore per la lettura, e alcuni aneddoti personali) per virare sempre verso il generico (nel tal quartiere c'è una tal via e una tal casa eccetera eccetera) senza condividere un'esperienza personale. Nonostante questo, molti capitoli sono davvero belli (ad esempio quello che parla della distruzione di Londra durante la seconda guerra mondiale). Eppure, con un apporto personale maggiore, il libro sarebbe stato perfetto.

In ogni caso questa è una lettura che consiglio a chi è appassionato di Londra e di libri. Una sola avvertenza: l'autrice parla solo quasi di autori classici e per adulti. Quindi se non avete letto Thackeray, Dickens, Woolf, le sorelle Mitford potreste trovare poco interessante il parallelo letterario (oppure potreste cominciare a leggerli!). Qualche autore moderno c'è: P.D. James, Doris Lessing. Quello che manca è - ovviamente - tantissimo (non ne faccio una colpa all'autrice, come avrebbe potuto includere tutto?) ma soprattutto mancano riferimenti alla lettura per infanzia. Sto pensando soprattutto a J. K. Rowling ma anche a romanzi più classici come quelli di Barrie (Peter Pan) e sicuramente molti altri che non conosco o semplicemente che ora non mi vengono in mente. Detto questo, se il libro vi ispira ancora, vi invito caldamente a leggerlo!

http://robertabookshelf.blogspot.it/2...

[Gabi Coatsworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this, and it started out well, but the number of errors and false conclusions are the reason for only three stars. The dismissal of London fogs as being something conjured up by books and films is entirely wrong. The author didn’t visit London until the dark gray buildings had been restored to their original cream color. London smog killed thousands in 1952.
Making a mistake by calling Mancunians Manchunians, and then commenting that the name made her think of Manchuria is an error that could easily have been fixed by a British editor, as could the others. And misquoting Shakespeare was just the final straw. (set in ‘the’ silver sea instead of ‘a’ silver sea).

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this today, the first title on my getting ready to visit London list, and was kind of surprised to discover that I seem to have read it back in 2007 (and to have loved it - that's when the 5-star rating came from). Still (again?) fun, even if I have no memory of having read it previously, although somewhat more personally atmospheric and less a book about books about London than I was expecting.

[Karyl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had such high hopes for this book. I love to read about England and London and the UK, especially historical fiction. But I didn't get anything from this book, other than that London is littered with little signs denoting where various pieces of literature were written or took place. The author would go off on so many tangents, and I didn't think she really said anything meaningful throughout the book. It's a shame. The idea is a fabulous one; it's just that the execution fell short.

[Lisa Montanaro · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to really like this book because I love this author's writing and I love the concept of an imagined London based on literature. But it rambles a bit much for my taste and is really just a series of thoughts on London, English Lit and the differences between the UK and America. Feel like it could have been better. There were some good moments, but disappointed overall.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather disappointing guide to literary London--a little heavy on certain novels (repeatedly), and way too indebted to Peter Ackroyd's London, one of my least favorite books. Extra star for the cool map in the front and the introduction to several books I've missed, including The Prime Minister and Winter in London.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I so identified with the author regarding London and literature. Granted I haven't been that many places, but London is my favorite place. Walking the streets never gets old, and I feel and see history in every step.
If it wasn't so darn expensive, I would live there in a second!

[gwayle · Rating 2 out of 5]

When it comes down to it, this is a clumsily written annotated bibliography of fiction set in London. I'd have preferred it in list form.

[Felicia Caro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is exactly the kind of book about London, England that I didn't know I was looking for. I've been avoiding travel books for the most part and have instead been mapping out places on my own that I'd like to go (during my honeymoon this May!) based off of books I've read and movies I've seen. For example, the Hundred Acre Wood that A.A. Milne based his Winnie-the-Pooh tales off of (it's a real place) and Merlin's cave (real too). I scoped out some venues where my husband and I can try falconry, as I was inspired by Helen MacDonald's nonfiction book on the subject, "H is for Hawk" (and her love for her hawk Mable). I'm thrilled to visit as many castles as possible, particularly because of Queen Victoria and the Victorian Era, after having read Daisy Goodwin's biography and then watching the PBS series (Kensington Palace, here I come!). Wilkie Collins' "The Woman in White" makes me excited to see large residential English homes, smaller ones down hidden streets, preferably gloomy streets, and the eerie English moors, and even English graveyards. Speaking of moors... I think of Francis Hodsgson Burnett's "The Secret Garden".... my favorite film as a child (still haven't read the book, but have you seen the 1987 Hallmark film? It's my absolute favorite)... and speaking of gardens, I remember Virginia Woolf's "Kew Gardens" and scenes from Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre", one of my favorite books of all time. Still more that I know I must be forgetting. Oh yes, Bed-Knobs and Broomsticks. Alice's Wonderland.

Anna Quindlen's "Imagined London" just amped up all of that energy I already have stowed away for our trip, filling in all my blanks with her insightful commentary on Dickensian London (it is not as dreary as he saw it), the rise of the modern over the antiquated (especially in architecture), thoughts on Henry James... thoughts on language - which she says is *not* the same as what we speak here in America - and I believe her. Pointing out things like "sod off" coming from the word sodomy (but not to be taken seriously) or the word "trunk" being the "boot" of the car. She breaks down the bad stereotype of the English not being known for their food. Quindlen promises good food, of course including the expected tea, high tea, cucumber sandwiches, mutton. But there are other delectable things I have previously never heard of but can't wait to try. She also tackles the question of globalization in London, and how this fares with the antiquity that is so beloved in their land. An interesting point worth noting: that previous generations of English literature were able to capture class tension a lot more precisely than today, with contemporary writers being much more interested in race. Lastly, "Imagined London" follows the same premise I have for traveling to England - see London for what it is, that is the literary hub of the world.

She speaks lovingly of well-known places, like Royal Albert Hall and the British Museum. She speaks just as lovingly about lesser known places, like Poets Corner. She asks us to beware the places or street corners of mass commodification (silly t-shirts that could literally be sold anywhere, with no hint of place regarded in them) and to look deeper for the real and the good stuff, which she promises is not hard to find. The sunlight is different there, she says. She also reminds us to take a step back and understand the magnitude of this country. Its history of violence because of politics and because of "natural" causes, such as war, famine, disease, and the monarchy. What England has gone through, as shown its in rich literary canon, can never be dwarfed. Whereas in the United States buildings are torn down for the sake of postmodernity and the triumph of art, in England buildings were *bombed* down and their newly built artistic architecture, sometimes glaringly modern, is saying something more, something that always, always speaks to its past. Reminding us of it. "Rising on the bones of the antique" Quindlen writes. Asking us not to forget.

England is old, yes. But by no means behind. Because England is intelligent enough to bring its history to the forefront and merge it with the present, the future rings true and clear and loud. It is fully present. The U.S. would do well to be more open about its past. England is old enough that it can have a sense of humor about itself, not take itself too seriously, yet all the while holding the gravity and responsibility for all its atrocities... I mean, the Tower of London *boasts* its executions. It's all right there at the front. Can the U.S. do the same? Only time will tell.

I can't wait to go to England and experience it all for myself. I can't wait to come back home to America with a fresh set of eyes, hopefully bringing back something quite new.

Anna Quindlen's "Imagined London" is not for the tourist. It is for the traveller and the explorer. It is an ode to travel that encourages the life of the mind and the enrichment of soul. She tells us about the nature of the common people and the episodic nature of discovering a new place, this place called England, which many of us love for its writers and their books.

[Sarah Coller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic! I agree with every sentiment. I started this travelogue/bookish bio/love story early this afternoon and read it straight through, stopping only to feed my family dinner. It's hard to put into words the way Quindlen captured the feel of visiting places in England for the first time, but I think this quote says it best:

"Hyde Park, Green Park, Soho, and Kensington: I had been to them all in my imagination before ever setting foot in England. So that by the time I actually visited London in 1995 for the first time, it felt less like an introduction and more like a homecoming."

That's exactly how I felt when first visiting England in 2013. It was brand new yet very familiar and my feeling of homesickness has led me back three more times since. In fact, one of the most difficult things for me about the COVID restrictions the last 18 months is the fact that I can't freely travel back to this place that occupies such an enormous part of my emotions.

I appreciated how the author had avoided visiting London until her mid 40s, lest she find it disappointing and not what her mind had painted it up to be. She, of course, was pleasantly relieved to find that it was all she thought it would be and more. "When I turn the corner into a small, quiet, leafy square, am I really seeing it fresh, or am I both looking and remembering?" Yes. Exactly. This is one of the few "American in England" memoirs I've read in which the author seems to appreciate the realness of the experience and to separate out the fantasy to see England in its truth.

Additionally, I loved the analogy of all the "Londons" throughout history being piled atop one another like layers of earth. The history doesn't ever really disappear from this ancient city upon an ancient island---it just builds and morphs and adds to itself with each new era.

If I find any fault with the book, it's with the negligence of the editor. Quindlen overuses words like "chockablock" and "chuffed"---after discussing how she can't help but use British English in her writing. Their overuse, coupled with the fact that she doesn't start this until the second half of the book, shows that she probably doesn't actually use these words as often as she claims. She definitely adopts a different voice about half way, as well, leading me to believe she wrote part of the book and then put it away for quite awhile before pulling it out to finish. Oh, and I did get a little weirded out when she began talking about Freud in the context of her relationship with her teenage son... All this can be forgiven, however; it's truly an enjoyable read.