London lit
 

I don't know why this didn't take the first time, but I'll try again. I am going to London for the first time in a couple of months. Can anyone recommend any books -- preferably fiction -- set in London?

Dear Moira, <BR>There are probably millions of books set in London, but one I can recommend is simply called "London - the Novel" by Edward Rutherfurd. It is the story of the generations of several families from the time of the Roman invasion to approximately 1997. It is fascinating but I must warn you, the paperback version is at least two inches thick. 800 pages I think. Good for the journey! <BR>Have fun. I love London and am going again in August.

Of course there is always Charles Dickens, and portions of most of John LeCarre's spy novels are set in London. In the same genre, Len Deighton's London Match.

Moira, <BR>I'll second Rosemary's recommendation regarding "London, the Novel". It is very much like James Michener's sagas "Hawaii", "Centennial", "Chesapeake" in that you learn the history of the city through the eyes of succeeding generations of Londoners from Roman times to the present. In my mind, the finest introduction to London is Blake Ehrlich's book "London on the Thames" which, with humor, with and a perceptive eye captures and reveals the history of practically every street in London. Out of print, you may find it in your library or a used book store. I do know that the online book store A Libris has copies for around $14.00 or so.

I second (or third) the recommendation of a London by Edward Rutherford. I went to London last summer and read half the book before I went and half went I got back---not intentionally. I wished I had read it all before going, since one of the places we ate was in the book and there is a lot of fun info about origins of places, etc. It is also a good story.

"They call Her Dana" is a great historical romance by Jennifer Wilde set in London. "Skye O'Malley" by Beatrice Small is another great story set in London. These suggestions are for light but very fun reading.

I strongly second the Dickens advice. If you are going to stonehenge, Thomas Hardy's Tess of the d'Ubervilles is a must read.

The Graham Greene novel "The End of the Affair" (yes, there is a current film of it) has some wonderful London details (including Rules restaurant) and atmosphere <BR>Also, the following is not fiction, but <BR>"The Perfect London Walk" by film critic Roger Ebert and a co-author has quite a bit about Hampstead especially.

Read the Anne Perry mysteries set in London in the Victorian period. Some of Susan Howatch's books are set in London, also. Don't forget Arthur Conan Doyle--we ate lunch at the Sherlock Holmes Pub, and it was great.

Before I went to London last month, I read the recent Granta issue #62? that is entirely about London. it has excerpts of fiction as well as photographic essays, etc. and gives you a varied look at London in one volume.

Dexter's Inspector Morse; P.D.James' Dalgleish; Mortimer's Rumpole (nothing like a good, juicy murder to give you the feel of the city)

The Oxford Literary Guide to the British Isles has 66 pages on London. I don't suppose you'd like to narrow it by genre or area?

Author Ruth Rendell has written many books set in London - "The Keys to the City" is set near Regent's Park. She's written several others, and the names escape me now, I am horrible at remembering names of books, but her stuff is good reading and definately has a sense of London. My all time favorite is London by Rutherford tho - it's an absolutely fantastic book. If you are going to be out near Stonehenge you may want to read Sarum, also by Rutherford. These are very thick books and go into details through many generations and if they are your kind of thing then I'd suggest reading them.