Reading London | Books set in the big smoke - Recommendations & Haul

Some London related recommendations! You can follow my travels around London on Instagram and Twitter @ReadingBukowski - more social media links below.
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Books*:
Mrs Dalloway: www.bookdeposi...
A Room of One's Own: www.bookdeposi...
Howards End: www.bookdeposi...
London War Notes: www.bookdeposi...
Alton Locke: www.bookdeposi...
Sketches by Boz: www.bookdeposi...
The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock: www.bookdeposi...
The Crimson Petal and the White: www.bookdeposi...
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell: www.bookdeposi...
White Teeth: www.bookdeposi...
NW: www.bookdeposi...
Serious Sweet: www.bookdeposi...
Maps:
London bomb map: www.bombsight.org/
Scarf by Lisa Angel
Charles Booth poverty maps: booth.lse.ac.uk/
*All links are affiliate links.
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[@ornleifs]

For upper class London in the 20's and 30's read P.G. Wodehouse, specially the Jeeves and Wooster series and the short stories with Bertie's friends in the Drones club - also see Waugh's Brideshead Revisited and Vile Bodies for London in the Jazz Age. For Victorian London see the Sherlock Holmes series.

[@Claire_Fenby]

Thank you!!

[@LMgolfer27]

Don't worry, you're in good company on the WWII-Blitz history nerd obsession. I love studying that time period as well. I am going to be in London in a few weeks and plan on picking up that book at Persephone's and going on a London Walks Blitz tour, super excited! Great video.

[@rosemannering]

I love the sound of The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock and your passion for the history of London is infectious! Working in London everyday I am very guilty of forgetting how amazing it's urban landscape is :)

[@Claire_Fenby]

Currently Reading The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock and its so so good! I think you'd love it :)

[@LuneFlaneuse]

Peter Ackroyd’s “The London Biography” is amazing!

[@Claire_Fenby]

I really enjoyed it too!

[@englishwithsandro7927]

I stumbled on your channel as I was looking for book recommendations on London, and you've given me some great ideas for future reading. Some book I'd heard of before, some I hadn't, especially the two by Persephone Books, which look beautiful too. Since you mentioned you used to be really interested in the Blitz, I recently finished V2 by Robert Harris, which I thought was excellent. Might be biased since I love all his work. Anyway, keep it up and hope to see more videos like these, cheers.

[@Offwhyte]

Big fan of the vlog entries. The way you speak is so eloquent and soothing. Best of luck in London.

[@Claire_Fenby]

Thank you so much! Definitely hope to do more vlogs soon.

[@imanazam1510]

Even as a Londoner I don't tend to read many books set in London apart from maybe dickens novels but white teeth is definitely one of my favourite I found it to be one of the books I've related to the most in my life . It gave a feel of the london that I knew personally and loved rather than something out of a brochure. Love your videos btw

[@Claire_Fenby]

Thank you! White Teeth is one of my favourites too :)

[@gracetaylor7351]

Love this .this is the first video am watching I found though Katie channel books and things.

[@dlgm161]

"Beatles London" by Mark Lewisohn, first edition, hard to get, detailed maps, special details! Missed seeing your new reading room as backdrop. Best wishes in the "big smoke!"

[@Claire_Fenby]

Still getting settled with decorations etc so hopefully you'll get to see more of my room soon :)

[@helenasnopek5431]

Great recommendations! London seems such a fascinating city. If I get a chance to visit I'd love to follow Mrs. Dalloway's walk (that book is so amazing, and those editions are as well). I think I just pick up The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock as well!

[@Claire_Fenby]

The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock is really wonderful! Definitely recommend.

[@teaspoones]

I saw your post about Howards End and it made me buy it. I read the first pages and really enjoyed it!

[@Claire_Fenby]

It's a truly wonderful book! I hope you enjoy it :)

[@moonstone-dreamer6512]

me too at the moment, only because i'm getting more into historical fiction this is a great idea

[@jamiedianne6778]

Last Chance Harvey is a really good film set in London over 24 (or maybe it's 48?) hours and it's got Emma Thompson in it which is always wonderful. LOVE those Woolf editions...definitely going to have to get some myself! :D Also, I can't wait to hear what you think about The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock. It sounds fabulous.

[@Claire_Fenby]

I love that film!! Emma Thompson is such a wonderful actor. I think you'd really enjoy The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock - I'm currently reading it and definitely think it's going to be one of my favourite reads of this year.

[@alnsubuga]

Dirty Pretty Things is a good movie to watch if you want to see another side to London. Even though it's an older film the issues it covers are sadly still very relevant.

[@Liz86000]

I love Persephone books and the Vintage Classics of Virginia Woolf look amazing. I'm also very jealous you have a copy of The Mermaid & Mrs Hancock, it seems very good. Please tell us what you thought of it! I also have to read Crimson Petal... So many books, so little time...

[@irisveldhuizen7643]

I love Mollie Panter-Downes! Curious to hear your thoughts on this collection. xx

[@Claire_Fenby]

I'd never heard of her before picking up this book! Any more recommended reads?

[@mentatphilosopher]

Looks like you need some non-fiction choices: "In Darkest London"', "Nightwalking", and, of course, Peter Ackroyd's books on London. And also Mayhew's London Labour and the London Poor.

[@Claire_Fenby]

I've studied all of them during my MA and I'm using Mayhew for my dissertation - they are all so interesting!!

[@jealousofmypuddin]

A favorite film, based on the play, is "Beautiful Thing" from 1996. It's a coming of age LGBT tale that takes place in Thamesmead, southeast London, and is worth a watch.

[@Claire_Fenby]

Thanks!

[@juliequick5526]

Having just read Mrs Dalloway and frankly struggled with it a bit, I’m not sure if you have done an in depth interpretation, but I can’t find it. I would live to hear your thoughts on the novel, or recommendations of where I should go for further help. I thought I’d come to you first as you inspired me to read VW. Apologies if this seems a bit simplistic, but I feel there may be others in the same boat as me. Thank you!

[@JevaisaNY]

I'm looking forward to your next post!

[@Claire_Fenby]

Thanks! I'm uploading another London related video now :)

[@katiejlumsden]

Alton Locke sounds fantastic!

[@Claire_Fenby]

To be honest it's not a personal favourite but it has been wonderful to research & write about!

[@JevaisaNY]

Inspiring post. Thank you.

[@rottenrafflesia]

Are you still studying your Masters at University of York? you would have to travel back and forth between York and London because of your classes?

[@Claire_Fenby]

I'm still a student at Uni of York but classes finished in May. Just researching & writing my dissertation now.

[@PraptiPanda]

Does anyone know if The Mermaid And Mrs. Hancock contains explicit content? My friend loves mermaids so I was thinking of getting it for her, but since she's sixteen, I don't want to spring any adult content on her.

[@Claire_Fenby]

Prapti Panda There are scenes that are a bit sexual due to the courtesan character but nothing I would be worried about a 16 year old reading.

[@mariuszmatyja3078]

💎👠😎👌😉☝️👍❤️💓💔💕💖👝👛?