Bizarre London: Discover the Capital's Secrets & Surprises

by David Long

Overview

A charming gift book of the strangest and most intriguing stories of London.

A fascinating tour of London's strangest and most intriguing locations. Ranging from architectural evidence of past incidents and stories of life beneath the city, to anecdotes of magic, mystery, and murder, this is a perfect companion for anyone curious about London.

It includes: A Museum of Magical Curiosities; The City's Lost Tunnels and Citadels; The Ghost of a She-Wolf; The Bawdy House Riots; The Story of “Jack the Stripper”; The Atmospheric Railway; The Thames Ringway Bicycle Race; A Banker Hanged at Newgate; The Crossdressing Highwayman; Bluebottles, Rozzers and Woodentops; The Hidden Statue of a Beaver; The “Belgravia of Death”; Whitehall’s Licensed Brothel; Pin-Makers, Mole-Takers and Rat Catchers; Drinking in “The Bucket of Blood”; London's Most Haunted House.

All of London is here!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781628739251
Publisher:	Skyhorse
Publication date:	02/04/2014
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	633,939
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

David Long: A writer and journalist for nearly 30 years, David Long is the author of more than a dozen books, mostly on London and with titles reflecting an unquenchable thirst for the quirkier, lesser known aspects of its long history, continually changing streetscape and often eccentric inhabitants. He lives in London, England.

Table of Contents

Introduction v

1 Gruesome London 1

2 Ghostly London 16

3 Building London 27

4 Spy's London 44

5 Under London 54

6 Monumental London 70

7 Dead London 79

8 Royal London 93

9 Shopping London 99

10 Green London 111

11 Eccentrics' London 123

12 Eating London 133

13 Working London 139

14 Boozy London 156

15 Private London 169

16 Military London 180

17 Illegal London 189

18 Sporting London 205

19 Driving London 213

20 Parliamentary London 227

21 Ceremonial London 242

22 Esoteric London 253

Editorial Reviews

04/01/2014
Long, a prolific writer on all things London, presents a fact-filled romp through many aspects of the city from gruesome and ghostly to military and parliamentary. Want to brush up on obscure knowledge of England's capital? Then this is the book you're looking for! Do you know what the white spike on London Bridge commemorates? Or which square in London is haunted by a chicken? Long provides answers to these questions and many others. He leaves no corner of London uncovered as he offers travelers insight into out-of-the-way destinations to fulfill any esoteric interest. Looking to visit an unusual museum? How about the London Sewing Machine Museum? Looking for a good pub? Long recommends 17 of them in "Britain's Best Pub Crawl." VERDICT Anglophiles and travelers alike will revel in the London oddities Long has uncovered in this fun-to-peruse book.—Lacy S. Wolfe, Ouachita Baptist Univ. Lib., Arkadelphia, AR

Library Journal

"Here's yet another book revealing the capital's "secrets'" and "surprises." But it would be churlish to discount this new compendium of unusual London tales . . . David Long's an old-hand at putting books like this together, and he always digs up exquisite truffles to go with the hoary turnips. The format flits whimsically between novelty lists ("London's weirdest wills." "London's maddest buildings never built," "London cabbie slang" . . . ), and mini-essays wriggling with anecdote ("Why are London buses red?", "London's famous motoring firsts" . . . ). In a market niche that's now as crowded as the 18:22 to Reading, Bizarre London pummels its bantamweight rivals with knockout clouts of trivia that even this weary correspondent hadn't encountered before."
—The Londonist

"Here's yet another book revealing the capital's "secrets'" and "surprises." But it would be churlish to discount this new compendium of unusual London tales . . . David Long's an old-hand at putting books like this together, and he always digs up exquisite truffles to go with the hoary turnips. The format flits whimsically between novelty lists ("London's weirdest wills." "London's maddest buildings never built," "London cabbie slang" . . . ), and mini-essays wriggling with anecdote ("Why are London buses red?", "London's famous motoring firsts" . . . ). In a market niche that's now as crowded as the 18:22 to Reading, Bizarre London pummels its bantamweight rivals with knockout clouts of trivia that even this weary correspondent hadn't encountered before."
—The Londonist

From the Publisher