So, as part of CityRead, which starts on April 2nd, I’m going to be on a panel at Ealing Library, together with Sarah Parker of Cityread London, Amma Poku Community Services & Volunteer Co-ordinator at Ealing Libraries, and Hazel Talbot of Ealing Arts Saturday 27th April at 2.30, talking about books set in London.
In preparation, I’m reading the keynote book, A Week in December by Sebastian Faulks, and thinking about reading other books of literary and London-based merit. Apart from a couple of favourites I had a bit of a blank out, so I asked our lovely authors for recommendations, and this is what they came up with:
– the last bit on each line is where the book is set. Those in bold got multiple recommendations. I’ve already read quite a few of these – marked with an * (and some I’d never heard of) and I certainly don’t have time to read them all! Anything you think is missing? Any you would particularly recommend?
Alexander Baron – Rosie Hogarth – Islington
Anthony Cronin – The Life Of Riley – Camden
Arthur Ransome – Bohemia In London – Chelsea
*Barbara Vine – King Solomon’s Carpet – West
Bobbie Darbyshire – Truth Games – Camden Town, Finchley Road, Highgate, Hackney, Fulham and Balham
Colin Mcinnes – Absolute Beginners – Notting Hill
Diana Evans – 26a – Neasden
Dorothy Richardson – The Tunnel – Bloomsbury
*Elizabeth Bowen – The Heat Of The Day – Regents Park
Gautam Malkani – Londonstani – Hounslow
*Geoff Ryman – 253 – Lambeth North, Waterloo, Elephant & Castle
George Gissing – The Nether World – Clerkenwell
Gerald Kersh – Fowlers End – Teddington
*Grossmith – Diary Of A Nobody – Holloway
Iris Murdoch – Under The Net – Hammersmith
J G Ballard – Crash – West
*Jeremy Gavron – An Acre Of Barren Ground – Brick Lane
John Lanchester – Capital – Telegraph Hill
Lloyd Shepherd – The English Monster – Wapping
Maggie O’Farrell – The Hand That Once Held Mine – Hampstead/Soho
Martin Amis – London Fields – Hackney
*Monica Ali – Brick Lane – East
*Muriel Spark – The Girls Of Slender Means – Kensington
*Neil Gaiman – Neverwhere – London Below
*Nick Hornby – A Long Way Down – North
*Nick Hornby – High Fidelity – North
Norman Collins – London Belongs To Me – Kenington
Patrick Hamilton – Hangover Square – Earl’s Court
Patrick Hamilton – 100 Streets Under The Sky – Soho
Penelope Fitzgerald – Off Shore – Chelsea
Penny Rudge – Foolish Lessons In Love And Life – South
Peter Ackroyd – Hawksmoor – East
Ruth Rendell – A Demon In My View – West
Ruth Rendell – Going Wrong – West
*Sarah Waters – Night Watch – East/City
Shena Mackay – Heligoland – Crystal Palace And Norwood
Tim Parks – Tongues Of Flame – Finchley
Tony White – Foxy T – East
*Wilkie Collins – The Woman In White – St John’s Wood, Hampstead
Yvette Edwards – A Cupboard Full Of Coats – East
*Zadie Smith – White Teeth – North West
Zadie Smith – NW – North West
And, of course, our own London Lies and Stations!
I do have to say I have read piles of London books I wouldn’t recommend, some because they don’t get the geography right ( a bit of a bugbear – as can be attested by authors and would be authors for Stations – ignore the street layout or depth of the railway cutting at your peril!) some because I just didn’t like them. I will restrain myself from the lengthy list of books thrown across the room in rage!
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