London: A History of 300 Years in 25 Buildings [Paperback]

A lively new history of London told through twenty-five buildings, from iconic Georgian townhouses to the Shard
 
A walk along any London street takes you past a wealth of seemingly ordinary buildings: an Edwardian church, modernist postwar council housing, stuccoed Italianate terraces, a Bauhaus-inspired library. But these buildings are not just functional. They are evidence of London’s rich and diverse history and have shaped people’s experiences, identities, and relationships.
 
In this engaging study, Paul L. Knox traces the history of London from the Georgian era to the present day through twenty-five surviving buildings. Knox explores where people lived and worked, from grand Regency squares to Victorian workshops, and highlights the impact of migration, gentrification, and inequality. We see famous buildings, like Harrods and Abbey Road Studios, and everyday places like Rochelle Street School and Thamesmead.
 
Each historical period has introduced new buildings, and old ones have been repurposed. As Knox shows, it is the living history of these buildings that makes up the vibrant, but exceptionally unequal, city of today.“Entertains, informs and educates in equal measure. . . . The London that emerges from these pages is flawed, arrogant, guilty—and also vibrant, exciting, in a constant state of flux.”—Adrian Tinniswood,The Telegraph

“A superb book. . . . Knox is aware that social history is about people, and he tells that story through looking at their housing.”—Simon Heffer,The Telegraph

“Packed full of fascinating details and wonderful anecdotes, this book will make you see the city with fresh eyes. Essential reading for any Londoner.”—Alice Loxton, author ofUproar!

“An incisive and compelling biopsy of an impossible city-state as it metastasised, swelled, triumphed and achielE