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!