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London
London has perhaps the most remarkable history of any city in the world. Now its story has a unique voice. In this epic novel, Edward Rutherfurd takes the reader on a magnificent journey across sixteen centuries from the days of the Romans to the Victorian engineers of Tower Bridge and the era of dockland development of today. Through the lives and adventures of his colourful cast of characters, he brings all the richness of London's past unforgettably to life.
1152 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
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About the author
Edward Rutherfurd
40books5,393followersFrancis Edward Wintle, best known under his pen name Edward Rutherfurd, was born in the cathedral city of Salisbury. Educated locally, and at the universities of Cambridge, and Stanford, California, he worked in political research, bookselling and publishing. After numerous attempts to write books and plays, he finally abandoned his career in the book trade in 1983, and returned to his childhood home to write SARUM, a historical novel with a ten-thousand year story, set in the area around the ancient monument of Stonehenge, and Salisbury. Four years later, when the book was published, it became an instant international bestseller, remaining 23 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List. Since then he has written five more bestsellers: RUSSKA, a novel of Russia; LONDON; THE FOREST, set in England's New Forest which lies close by Sarum, and two novels which cover the story of Ireland from the time just before Saint Patrick to the twentieth century. His books have been translated into twenty languages.
Edward has lived in London, New York, New Hampshire and Ireland. He currently divides his time between New England and Europe. He has two children.
Edward Rutherfurd is a Life Member of the Friends of Salisbury Cathedral, the Salisbury Civic Society, and the Friends of Chawton House, which is located in Jane Austen's village and dedicated to the study of women writers. He is also a Patron of the National Theatre of Ireland (the Abbey Theatre) in Dublin.
In 2005, the City of Salisbury commemorated his services to the city by naming one of the streets leading off its medieval market place 'Rutherfurd Walk'.
Edward has lived in London, New York, New Hampshire and Ireland. He currently divides his time between New England and Europe. He has two children.
Edward Rutherfurd is a Life Member of the Friends of Salisbury Cathedral, the Salisbury Civic Society, and the Friends of Chawton House, which is located in Jane Austen's village and dedicated to the study of women writers. He is also a Patron of the National Theatre of Ireland (the Abbey Theatre) in Dublin.
In 2005, the City of Salisbury commemorated his services to the city by naming one of the streets leading off its medieval market place 'Rutherfurd Walk'.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 2,050 reviews
November 25, 2021
This epic work really does bring history alive in your as Rutherford moves from chapter to chapter effortlessly tracing the history of the remarkable city London and 5 remarkable families .There is not a dull moment and this should really awaken any interest you may have in history
Incredible men and unforgettable ,often extremely sensual, women enliven the pages of this work as you gain more knowledge about England and in the last chapter the message of the book is described succinctly .The rich tapestry of different people that formed the English : Celts,Romans,Angles,Saxons,Jutes,Danes,Normans ,Flemish,German and Italian merchants , French Huguenots and in more recent times the Irish and Jewish communities in London and other big cities
As an archaeology Professor puts it at the end of the book:
"So when we dig deep into the earth under our feet ,and fall all that is left of that man or woman , I try to remember that what I am seeing and handling is a huge and endless compression of lives .and sometimes in our work here , I feel as if we've somehow entered that layer of compressed time ,prised open that life , a single day even , with its morning , and evening , and its blue sky and its horizon.We've opened just one of the millions and millions of windows hidden in the ground'
Incredible men and unforgettable ,often extremely sensual, women enliven the pages of this work as you gain more knowledge about England and in the last chapter the message of the book is described succinctly .The rich tapestry of different people that formed the English : Celts,Romans,Angles,Saxons,Jutes,Danes,Normans ,Flemish,German and Italian merchants , French Huguenots and in more recent times the Irish and Jewish communities in London and other big cities
As an archaeology Professor puts it at the end of the book:
"So when we dig deep into the earth under our feet ,and fall all that is left of that man or woman , I try to remember that what I am seeing and handling is a huge and endless compression of lives .and sometimes in our work here , I feel as if we've somehow entered that layer of compressed time ,prised open that life , a single day even , with its morning , and evening , and its blue sky and its horizon.We've opened just one of the millions and millions of windows hidden in the ground'
April 23, 2008
The third book of Rutherford's that I've read of this type. Have previously read Sarum and Russka and this book pretty much followed those; nothing really surprising or extraordinary about this book.
I suggest reading this book for more of the historical facts than any sort of story-telling. As a history of London (and England) it's nice in that it's not too dry and involves a little bit of fictional aspects. However, the fact that the characters change every couple of chapters (as the narrative jumps forward in time) hurts the flow of the story and stops you from developing any sort of attachment to the characters. Really, who cares if a character gets what they want, achieves their dreams, are the good guy/bad guy, when you know that in the next chapter you'll jump ahead to their descendents where their circumstances might have completely changed??
So I'd recommend the book if you're looking for more of a historical read, rather than one based on a compelling story. Not bad and I'll probably go out and read the one Rutherford wrote about Ireland.
I suggest reading this book for more of the historical facts than any sort of story-telling. As a history of London (and England) it's nice in that it's not too dry and involves a little bit of fictional aspects. However, the fact that the characters change every couple of chapters (as the narrative jumps forward in time) hurts the flow of the story and stops you from developing any sort of attachment to the characters. Really, who cares if a character gets what they want, achieves their dreams, are the good guy/bad guy, when you know that in the next chapter you'll jump ahead to their descendents where their circumstances might have completely changed??
So I'd recommend the book if you're looking for more of a historical read, rather than one based on a compelling story. Not bad and I'll probably go out and read the one Rutherford wrote about Ireland.
September 7, 2007
A sprawling historical novel as big as London itself - it was required reading before I went to study abroad and I've read it twice since. Rutherford did an incredible amount of research and it all comes together beautifully. The characters' family trees carry through the entire history of Britain - pre-Roman through WWII. This book is so dear to my heart!
December 23, 2010
I did not like this book, and probably won't finish it though I'm 3/4 of the way through. The author goes from life to life through the history of London, and because it's such massive history, is unable to give details about the characters and environments that I usually adore. Because of this lack of detail I feel disconnected from the characters and the story. I chose to read it after going to London and wishing I could learn more about the historical day to day. I think reading seperate books about different periods of the history, perhaps specific biographies might satisfy me more.
March 9, 2021
4/5 Estrellas
Leído en 2018
Original formato en el que se va desgranando la historia de una ciudad, a través del seguimiento de la vida de los miembros de una serie de sagas familiares. En este caso nos encontramos ante la historia de Londres, desde antes de la llegada de Julio César a Britania en el 54 a.c., hasta los tiempos actuales.
En este caso (y que los ingleses no londinenses me perdonen), la historia de Londres se superpone a la Historia de la isla, y es una buena escusa para darle un buen repaso. También vamos asistiendo al desarrollo de la ciudad, con sus épocas de esplendor o decadencia, a su desarrollo urbanístico y haciendo especial hincapié en los hechos históricos más relevantes, que en ella acaecieron. El libro es ameno (no deja de ser un "tocho" de casi 1200 págs), los personajes son interesantes, así que, desde mi punto de vista merece la pena.
Tendré que darle otra oportunidad a otra de sus "ciudades".
Leído en 2018
Original formato en el que se va desgranando la historia de una ciudad, a través del seguimiento de la vida de los miembros de una serie de sagas familiares. En este caso nos encontramos ante la historia de Londres, desde antes de la llegada de Julio César a Britania en el 54 a.c., hasta los tiempos actuales.
En este caso (y que los ingleses no londinenses me perdonen), la historia de Londres se superpone a la Historia de la isla, y es una buena escusa para darle un buen repaso. También vamos asistiendo al desarrollo de la ciudad, con sus épocas de esplendor o decadencia, a su desarrollo urbanístico y haciendo especial hincapié en los hechos históricos más relevantes, que en ella acaecieron. El libro es ameno (no deja de ser un "tocho" de casi 1200 págs), los personajes son interesantes, así que, desde mi punto de vista merece la pena.
Tendré que darle otra oportunidad a otra de sus "ciudades".
June 26, 2017
UPDATE: An author certainly can't cover every historical event concerning London in a single volume, or perhaps even in a series of volumes. However, to me. Rutherford completely skips over a vital part of London's history, a cultural one that had a worldwide impact perhaps as much of an impact as other issues. Before laughing out loud, here me out: the world is still reeling from the impact of London's "Swinging 60's": things such as fashion, the sexual revolution, music, films, class, etc. When I was a child, there were two places: North Carolina and London (Agatha Christie, the Beatles, and haircuts, etc.) I did enjoy "London" but I gotta take one star away from my original five-star review.
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
When King Charles exceeds his powers, Parliament revolts, Charles decides to "govern without Parliament" and to make a secret alliance with Scotland, so England charges him with treason and chops his head off. In public. Incompetent rulers, thieves, murderers, etc., are still in fashion, but so is "...a kind of hush...heard all over the world...that's the sound of lovers falling in love..." (London's Herman's Hermits pop song from the mid '60s). Thus King Charles and hundreds of other characters in this sensational novel are relevant today. It would be wonderful to think "it's nice we don't have chopping blocks anymore" but in reality we've simply changed weapons: let's not forget that a year ago, on June 12, 2016, 49 adults, partying, were shot dead at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida. In "London", Rutherford tosses his story ingredients to the sky and amazingly keeps the words flowing for 1,124 pages of literary heaven. This masterpiece of historical fiction is right up there with Follett's mesmerizing "Pillars of the Earth", which, if I recall correctly, opens with violence. Some things never change, and thankfully one of those things is, yes, the sound of hush. (Oh, and as a side note, the cover of the paperback edition I read was absorbing. I could absolutely see the image of the Eifel Tower rising among the clouds-perhaps a subliminal message from Rutherford that his "Paris" is coming soon...but those other clouds...and what, exactly are all those characters doing...gotta give this novel itself a PG rating, but that cover is definitely closing in on an R-rating.)
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
When King Charles exceeds his powers, Parliament revolts, Charles decides to "govern without Parliament" and to make a secret alliance with Scotland, so England charges him with treason and chops his head off. In public. Incompetent rulers, thieves, murderers, etc., are still in fashion, but so is "...a kind of hush...heard all over the world...that's the sound of lovers falling in love..." (London's Herman's Hermits pop song from the mid '60s). Thus King Charles and hundreds of other characters in this sensational novel are relevant today. It would be wonderful to think "it's nice we don't have chopping blocks anymore" but in reality we've simply changed weapons: let's not forget that a year ago, on June 12, 2016, 49 adults, partying, were shot dead at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida. In "London", Rutherford tosses his story ingredients to the sky and amazingly keeps the words flowing for 1,124 pages of literary heaven. This masterpiece of historical fiction is right up there with Follett's mesmerizing "Pillars of the Earth", which, if I recall correctly, opens with violence. Some things never change, and thankfully one of those things is, yes, the sound of hush. (Oh, and as a side note, the cover of the paperback edition I read was absorbing. I could absolutely see the image of the Eifel Tower rising among the clouds-perhaps a subliminal message from Rutherford that his "Paris" is coming soon...but those other clouds...and what, exactly are all those characters doing...gotta give this novel itself a PG rating, but that cover is definitely closing in on an R-rating.)
February 22, 2017
If you happen to like hauling around 1000+ page books with you for weeks, you'll love this one! Although not in the same league as Ken Follett's "Pillars of the Earth" and "World Without End", this is a nice book for Follett fans who are suffering from severe withdrawal symptoms after finishing those two great novels.
I probably could have done without the first 200 pages, I really didn't need to know how the White Cliffs of Dover were formed to lead into the rest of the book, but once I got past the first several centuries, the book became much more interesting. It also took a while for me to feel connection with the characters.
Rutherfurd covers far more actual history than Follett, I found myself spending a lot of time Googling specific historical events as I read along. This book is taking me a long time to read because I wanted to see what the Tower of London looked like, I wanted to read more about London Bridge, I even rented several DVDs that coincided with the time period in the book to get a feel of the culture, costumes and setting as I read. I don't believe any book has ever "engaged" me to this degree. I certainly wouldn't consider myself a history geek, so it is a pleasant surprise that I am truly enjoying learning so much about British history.
I am looking forward to finally finishing "London" (about 100 pages to go) and reading some of the other epics by Rutherfurd. After all, I've built up such great arm muscles already!
I probably could have done without the first 200 pages, I really didn't need to know how the White Cliffs of Dover were formed to lead into the rest of the book, but once I got past the first several centuries, the book became much more interesting. It also took a while for me to feel connection with the characters.
Rutherfurd covers far more actual history than Follett, I found myself spending a lot of time Googling specific historical events as I read along. This book is taking me a long time to read because I wanted to see what the Tower of London looked like, I wanted to read more about London Bridge, I even rented several DVDs that coincided with the time period in the book to get a feel of the culture, costumes and setting as I read. I don't believe any book has ever "engaged" me to this degree. I certainly wouldn't consider myself a history geek, so it is a pleasant surprise that I am truly enjoying learning so much about British history.
I am looking forward to finally finishing "London" (about 100 pages to go) and reading some of the other epics by Rutherfurd. After all, I've built up such great arm muscles already!
April 7, 2019
This was like a cross between a history textbook and . It's the history of London since before the Roman invasion till modern times told through life stories of generations upon generations of a few of the same families. So, 2000 Years of Solitude in London, if you will.
I vaguely expected the book to rapidly gloss over the olden times and spend 80% of time on the Victorian era - but it didn't. Actually, Rutherfurd paid a lot of detailed attention to the Middle Ages - a topic I've long been curious about, but only now delved into.
Since I haven't read many books about history, London held a world of new and interesting information for me - what lives were like for upper classes, kings and working men, the rights of women, political turmoils, religious transformations, important historical events, epidemics, traditions, works of art. Because I'm new to the topic, can't say if Rutherfurd was accurate and in-depth about his narrative or not.
I also liked the author's style - all of this delicious info is packaged into the life stories of people whose lineage we trace for centuries. This made the book easy to digest, where a hardcore history book might have been a little dry, I suppose. Ease of reading is important in a 1000+ page book.
Because the book spans so many centuries and stories, the individual characters and their plotlines might be simplistic, but I didn't mind that. The point of London is history, not character arcs.
So I enjoyed it. I think I'll be reading Rutherfurd again even though the size of all of his books intimidates me.
I vaguely expected the book to rapidly gloss over the olden times and spend 80% of time on the Victorian era - but it didn't. Actually, Rutherfurd paid a lot of detailed attention to the Middle Ages - a topic I've long been curious about, but only now delved into.
Since I haven't read many books about history, London held a world of new and interesting information for me - what lives were like for upper classes, kings and working men, the rights of women, political turmoils, religious transformations, important historical events, epidemics, traditions, works of art. Because I'm new to the topic, can't say if Rutherfurd was accurate and in-depth about his narrative or not.
I also liked the author's style - all of this delicious info is packaged into the life stories of people whose lineage we trace for centuries. This made the book easy to digest, where a hardcore history book might have been a little dry, I suppose. Ease of reading is important in a 1000+ page book.
Because the book spans so many centuries and stories, the individual characters and their plotlines might be simplistic, but I didn't mind that. The point of London is history, not character arcs.
So I enjoyed it. I think I'll be reading Rutherfurd again even though the size of all of his books intimidates me.
January 8, 2009
Ugh. Every physical description of a female character began and ended with her breasts. Wooden prose, stilted dialogue -- actually, the only thing I enjoyed about this book were the descriptions of London as it grew and changed. If Rutherfurd had written a story about the city itself, rather than bringing characters into it, I might have enjoyed it more. Maybe a better writer will attempt that book.
February 4, 2011
I'll admit it--I didn't finish it. It's a good idea, and a good introduction to London's history, but I really got a little tired of the story (over and over and over) of the Brave, Heroic, Intelligent Man who manages to seduce, conquer, and commit adultery with the Silly, Stupid, Manipulative Woman, who is brainless, yes, but prettier than all the other silly, stupid, and manipulative women in that particular chapter. In fact, I have a hard time remembering a chapter in which this does not happen. And there are a lot of chapters.
November 23, 2015
I read this as a crash course in London history before studying abroad in the old English city. While I do feel much more familiar with the city's (and England's) basic history, the book didn't have as much merit as literature. There are a few things I want to specifically address:
-Character development is lacking, which makes sense because the book takes place over thousands of years. As others have said, the main character is London itself, but the individuals in the book were often flat and/or static, which made them less appealing than those in most other novels to me.
-The length, being so great, is not fitting for the quality of the writing. I want to read all thousand-plus pages of Gone with the Wind, for example, because of its strong writing and characters. Not so for this book. It took some time to get through, partly because it began to feel like a chore rather than a pastime. Also, London has a lot of history and Rutherfurd chose to include most of London's big moments in history.
-Finally, the female characters in this book were a) greatly outnumbered by men, b) less prominent than their male counterparts, and c) not treated with respect (in my opinion). There's a difference between writing in a historically accurate manner (women in the sixteenth century would be concerned with finding husbands because of the time period, regardless of author) and in a male-dominant way. I'm not familiar enough with the role of women in British history to say whether Rutherfurd's portrayal of women was historically accurate (I think it was), but his descriptions of the female characters that almost always were limited to just physical characteristics (especially boobs) and his tone when narrating sections about female characters both felt at least subtly sexist to me. Which, as you can tell from the length of this paragraph was annoying at best.
All in all, it's not a pleasure read, but it is good if you have a specific interest in London and want to commit a good chunk of time to learning about the history of the city without picking up a textbook.
-Character development is lacking, which makes sense because the book takes place over thousands of years. As others have said, the main character is London itself, but the individuals in the book were often flat and/or static, which made them less appealing than those in most other novels to me.
-The length, being so great, is not fitting for the quality of the writing. I want to read all thousand-plus pages of Gone with the Wind, for example, because of its strong writing and characters. Not so for this book. It took some time to get through, partly because it began to feel like a chore rather than a pastime. Also, London has a lot of history and Rutherfurd chose to include most of London's big moments in history.
-Finally, the female characters in this book were a) greatly outnumbered by men, b) less prominent than their male counterparts, and c) not treated with respect (in my opinion). There's a difference between writing in a historically accurate manner (women in the sixteenth century would be concerned with finding husbands because of the time period, regardless of author) and in a male-dominant way. I'm not familiar enough with the role of women in British history to say whether Rutherfurd's portrayal of women was historically accurate (I think it was), but his descriptions of the female characters that almost always were limited to just physical characteristics (especially boobs) and his tone when narrating sections about female characters both felt at least subtly sexist to me. Which, as you can tell from the length of this paragraph was annoying at best.
All in all, it's not a pleasure read, but it is good if you have a specific interest in London and want to commit a good chunk of time to learning about the history of the city without picking up a textbook.
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October 9, 2021Pomalo bizarno, i razočaravajuće, delovala mi je činjenica da je isti autor na isti način napravio knjige o Londonu, Parizu i Njujorku. Nemoguće je biti toliko posvećen, temeljan i prisutan u istoriji tako različitih mesta, mislio sam i odabrao londonsku priču, pre svega zbog britanskog porekla autora računajući da je tu na svom terenu, i emotivno a ne samo književno ili naučno, i zbog činjenice da je London uvek bio san, i zbog toga što zapravo vrlo malo znam o njegovom višemilenijumskom životu. I prijalo je čitanje, više no što sam mislio, i dovoljno da se nastavi, sa druga dva dela.
Fascinantan je pokušaj, praviti priču o jednom gradu tako što ćete jahati kroz čitav njegov dveivišehiljadagodina dug život, prateći istoriju kako izmišljenih književnih junaka, porodica i loza, tako i stvarnih istorijskih ličnosti, i načina na koji su ga gradili, rušili, palili i sa njim bistvovali svo vreme, usputno držeći besprekorne mini časove istorije i koristeći široko dostupnu dokumentarnu građu tako da knjigu zaista sa pravom možete zvati i romanom i istorijskim spisom.
Fascinantan je pokušaj, i makar u ovom prvom delu, osvežavajući, pitko i plitko pisan, informativan, interesantan i lep. Svako poglavlje zasebna priča. Svaka priča zasebni junaci. Svi junaci potomci onih prethodnih. Od prazne ostrvske keltske močvare i prvih rimskih dolazaka i Cezarovih osvajanja, preko postepenog i viševekovnog razvoja kraljevstva, viteštva, kmetstva, zaključno sa pojavom prvih znakova demokratskog uređenja s kraja dvanaetskog veka.
Fascinantan i divljenja vredan pokušaj, očigledno više nego učenog i načitanog autora, koji je ujedno i sasvim solidan pisac. Dovoljno dobar da ovako mamutski pokušaj ne propadne u svojoj megalomanskoj ideji, i dovoljno skromnih mogućnosti da pisanje ne bude potreba sama po sebi, da ne fascinira i ne oduševljava ni rečenicama, ni stilom, ni ritmom, koliko hronološki sređenim mislima i idejama, i banalno i jednostavno osmišljenim junacima koji će vas držati budnim dok pričaju o najvećem od svih gradova.
Fascinantan je pokušaj, praviti priču o jednom gradu tako što ćete jahati kroz čitav njegov dveivišehiljadagodina dug život, prateći istoriju kako izmišljenih književnih junaka, porodica i loza, tako i stvarnih istorijskih ličnosti, i načina na koji su ga gradili, rušili, palili i sa njim bistvovali svo vreme, usputno držeći besprekorne mini časove istorije i koristeći široko dostupnu dokumentarnu građu tako da knjigu zaista sa pravom možete zvati i romanom i istorijskim spisom.
Fascinantan je pokušaj, i makar u ovom prvom delu, osvežavajući, pitko i plitko pisan, informativan, interesantan i lep. Svako poglavlje zasebna priča. Svaka priča zasebni junaci. Svi junaci potomci onih prethodnih. Od prazne ostrvske keltske močvare i prvih rimskih dolazaka i Cezarovih osvajanja, preko postepenog i viševekovnog razvoja kraljevstva, viteštva, kmetstva, zaključno sa pojavom prvih znakova demokratskog uređenja s kraja dvanaetskog veka.
Fascinantan i divljenja vredan pokušaj, očigledno više nego učenog i načitanog autora, koji je ujedno i sasvim solidan pisac. Dovoljno dobar da ovako mamutski pokušaj ne propadne u svojoj megalomanskoj ideji, i dovoljno skromnih mogućnosti da pisanje ne bude potreba sama po sebi, da ne fascinira i ne oduševljava ni rečenicama, ni stilom, ni ritmom, koliko hronološki sređenim mislima i idejama, i banalno i jednostavno osmišljenim junacima koji će vas držati budnim dok pričaju o najvećem od svih gradova.
March 27, 2009
It's odd to read a 1,124 page novel and feel that it's too short. This is not a "haute" literature novel, but rather a sprawling ramble through the history of London - the terrain and its people - made accessible through a series of chronological tales told through the ages. As with "Sarum," Mr. Rutherfurd follows different families over the centuries, with their stories intertwining due to coincidence, marriage, and friendship. This book genre is terrific for learning little known facts, such as the origins of words or how geography shapes human history, and is not the sort of book to read for in depth explorations of personalities, thoughts, feelings, angst, etcetera - just not that sort of literature. It's been years since I visited London and "London: The Novel" made me yearn to travel there once more, especially given what I learned in this book about the growth and layout of the city. As for feeling that the book was too short, it seems to me that Mr. Rutherfurd starts to run out of steam after the Restoration period (latter half of the 17th C.), and the latter chapters in particular (Victorian through present) do not have the same complexity as the earlier stories. The last chapter is merely a few pages - it should either have been omitted or fleshed out to something at least a little more respectibly long to "match" the earlier chapters where Mr. Rutherfurd really shines.
July 26, 2020
One of Rutherford's best novelized histories, London follows generations of families as they struggle and triumph through the ages. It has moments of close calls and dramatic reversals of fortunes, which make it a fun read, although it is disappointing to regularly abandon one generation and start afresh with their descendants.
May 10, 2020
When speaking of long tomes-historical fiction Edward Rutherfurd is King. He has his own recipe, no different than Ken Follet, Philippa Gregory or Hilary Martel, but he is in a league of his own, an unsurpassed master storyteller, unpretentious and erudite.
A set of short stories, set in chronological order, beginning with a River Thames and ending with 1997 London, there is much complaint over a lack of character development, but there is no need for more of it here as this is not historical fiction about people or events per se, here Rutherfurd provides a well researched biography of a city, the greatest city in the world, structured around the lives of members of a handful of families and their lineage across time. Each generation of characters develops just enough for one to become invested and Rutherfurd provides just enough information to satisfy the reader's curiosity whilst painting a full, realistic, engaging picture of a moment in the life of London, the main Character. With each chapter and generation passed, the Character of London develops, grows, matures, hurts and unfolds in front of one's eye, as old photographs that would speak their minds.
Ergo, it could deserve 5 stars, however this reader has become a nitpicker that appreciates neither the cheap mention of Pepys or Pocahontas nor the much literal gold mystery ending. That being said, his Sarum is next.
From my notes:
1. Mithras the bull-slayer. The Persian god of heavenly light; the cosmic warrior for purity and honesty. Mithras fought for truth and justice in a universe where, in common with many Eastern religions, good and evil were equally matched and locked in an eternal war. The blood of the legendary bull he killed had brought life and abundance to the earth. The birthday of this Eastern god was celebrated on 25 December.
2. This landing place they now called Lundenwic: Lunden from the old Celtic and Roman name of the place, Londinos, and -wic, meaning in Anglo-Saxon “port� or, in this case, “trading post�.
3. In Anglo-Saxon, “island� was rendered “eye�, the words “Chelch Eye� made a sound roughly like “Chelsea�.
4. Blodmonath, the month of blood, the Saxons called November. Blodmonath, when the oxen were slain before the winter snows.
5. The Bayeux Tapestry is the first known example of English state propaganda.
6. Brothels are still often known by their Saxon name � the horhus.
7. In 13th century, the bishops owned and regulated most brothels.
8. Lombard Street was named after many immigrants came from the Italian territory of Lombardy and set shop there.
9. Foul-mouthed women were sometimes sentenced to wear the little iron cage that fitted over the head, with a cruel iron bit that went in the mouth to immobilise the tongue. Encased in this, unpopular women would be paraded about, in the same way as other malefactors were put in the stocks.
10. At the end of the Wars of the Roses, London had perhaps fifty thousand people; by Elizabeth’s last years, four times that number.
11. In December, in the year of Our Lord 1598, the River Thames froze solid.
12. English equivalent: Thierry into Terry, Mahieu into Mayhew, Crespin into Crippen, Descamps into Scamp. Their liking for such culinary delicacies as snails might seem strange, but other dishes they brought with them, such as oxtail soup, were soon popular with the English. Their skills in making furniture, perfumes, fans and the newly fashionable wigs were welcome.
13. The law was mild concerning duels. The courts were run by gentlemen who understood these matters. There was no question of murder, since, by definition, both parties were consenting to the business.
A set of short stories, set in chronological order, beginning with a River Thames and ending with 1997 London, there is much complaint over a lack of character development, but there is no need for more of it here as this is not historical fiction about people or events per se, here Rutherfurd provides a well researched biography of a city, the greatest city in the world, structured around the lives of members of a handful of families and their lineage across time. Each generation of characters develops just enough for one to become invested and Rutherfurd provides just enough information to satisfy the reader's curiosity whilst painting a full, realistic, engaging picture of a moment in the life of London, the main Character. With each chapter and generation passed, the Character of London develops, grows, matures, hurts and unfolds in front of one's eye, as old photographs that would speak their minds.
Ergo, it could deserve 5 stars, however this reader has become a nitpicker that appreciates neither the cheap mention of Pepys or Pocahontas nor the much literal gold mystery ending. That being said, his Sarum is next.
From my notes:
1. Mithras the bull-slayer. The Persian god of heavenly light; the cosmic warrior for purity and honesty. Mithras fought for truth and justice in a universe where, in common with many Eastern religions, good and evil were equally matched and locked in an eternal war. The blood of the legendary bull he killed had brought life and abundance to the earth. The birthday of this Eastern god was celebrated on 25 December.
2. This landing place they now called Lundenwic: Lunden from the old Celtic and Roman name of the place, Londinos, and -wic, meaning in Anglo-Saxon “port� or, in this case, “trading post�.
3. In Anglo-Saxon, “island� was rendered “eye�, the words “Chelch Eye� made a sound roughly like “Chelsea�.
4. Blodmonath, the month of blood, the Saxons called November. Blodmonath, when the oxen were slain before the winter snows.
5. The Bayeux Tapestry is the first known example of English state propaganda.
6. Brothels are still often known by their Saxon name � the horhus.
7. In 13th century, the bishops owned and regulated most brothels.
8. Lombard Street was named after many immigrants came from the Italian territory of Lombardy and set shop there.
9. Foul-mouthed women were sometimes sentenced to wear the little iron cage that fitted over the head, with a cruel iron bit that went in the mouth to immobilise the tongue. Encased in this, unpopular women would be paraded about, in the same way as other malefactors were put in the stocks.
10. At the end of the Wars of the Roses, London had perhaps fifty thousand people; by Elizabeth’s last years, four times that number.
11. In December, in the year of Our Lord 1598, the River Thames froze solid.
12. English equivalent: Thierry into Terry, Mahieu into Mayhew, Crespin into Crippen, Descamps into Scamp. Their liking for such culinary delicacies as snails might seem strange, but other dishes they brought with them, such as oxtail soup, were soon popular with the English. Their skills in making furniture, perfumes, fans and the newly fashionable wigs were welcome.
13. The law was mild concerning duels. The courts were run by gentlemen who understood these matters. There was no question of murder, since, by definition, both parties were consenting to the business.
December 22, 2018
Una novela maravillosa, que a lo largo de varios relatos situados en distintos periodos, cuenta la historia de Londres.
Creo que lo mejor que tiene el libro es que te da una visión de la evolución de la ciudad, desde su aparición hasta la segunda guerra mundial. Había infinidad de datos que desconocía y puedo decir que he aprendido mucho, ya no solo de Londres, si no de la historia de Inglaterra en general.
Recomiendo su lectura y lo marcaría como imprescindible si esta ciudad está entre vuestras favoritas.
Y sobre todo, que no de pereza empezarlo por ser un libro largo, porque cada capítulo se podría decir que es ‘independiente�, ya que lo único a tener en cuenta es que los personajes pertenecen a una serie de familias, cuyo árbol genealógico está dibujado en las primeras páginas.
Creo que lo mejor que tiene el libro es que te da una visión de la evolución de la ciudad, desde su aparición hasta la segunda guerra mundial. Había infinidad de datos que desconocía y puedo decir que he aprendido mucho, ya no solo de Londres, si no de la historia de Inglaterra en general.
Recomiendo su lectura y lo marcaría como imprescindible si esta ciudad está entre vuestras favoritas.
Y sobre todo, que no de pereza empezarlo por ser un libro largo, porque cada capítulo se podría decir que es ‘independiente�, ya que lo único a tener en cuenta es que los personajes pertenecen a una serie de familias, cuyo árbol genealógico está dibujado en las primeras páginas.
September 18, 2023
I'm finally finished-may have taken me quite a while, as I interspersed with other books that came in on library holds, but so worth the long read; and what a fine epic saga involving several different family lines throughout the centuries. I found it fascinating to view London from its infancy to mid-20th century through their eyes- a la Forest Gump, if you will. Great reference helps of maps and family tree!
July 2, 2021
This is a sprawling tale of London, from its start between two hills in the time of Julius Ceasar’s landing to the blitz. Despite the time frame, it manages to be cohesive, following the same families throughout. It successfully captures the atmosphere of the different time periods. I enjoyed this tremendously and am glad I finally picked it up!
August 17, 2018
About halfway through Chapter 18 (~page 1030) on the Cutty Sark I recognized that I had read that story before. Then I realized I had read the whole book before - that is how unmemorable the stories and characters are.
March 11, 2011
This is a long book--I will be a few days on this one. Looks good so
far.
**
Tuesday 1/6/09. Now on page 365 of London. Still good. Will review when finished.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Finally finished London (we have been a bit busier at work).
The historical details of this book are excellent. I know a bit out history and there were no obvious errors or jarring anachronisms.
The chapters each covered a different era--making it more like a chain of short stories than a novel. The one criticism I have--which is why it gets a 3 and not 4 stars is: it is uneven. It starts out very well and reads fast. Then for about three chapers it drags and I had to force myself to continue. Thien, it picked up for several chapers, then 2 dragging ones again, then the book ended well.
When characters I liked were "on stage" as it were, I read much faster.
That said, I do not want to turn people away from reading this wook. It is a very, good solid three stars--just can't give it four. But the patient reader---especially if you like history --will find much to enjoy here.
If you are a faster reader than I--I am quite slow--you might finish it in less time. I recommend it for anyone with a serious liking for historical fiction and /or family sagas. Also, for anyone with an interest in English history.
far.
**
Tuesday 1/6/09. Now on page 365 of London. Still good. Will review when finished.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Finally finished London (we have been a bit busier at work).
The historical details of this book are excellent. I know a bit out history and there were no obvious errors or jarring anachronisms.
The chapters each covered a different era--making it more like a chain of short stories than a novel. The one criticism I have--which is why it gets a 3 and not 4 stars is: it is uneven. It starts out very well and reads fast. Then for about three chapers it drags and I had to force myself to continue. Thien, it picked up for several chapers, then 2 dragging ones again, then the book ended well.
When characters I liked were "on stage" as it were, I read much faster.
That said, I do not want to turn people away from reading this wook. It is a very, good solid three stars--just can't give it four. But the patient reader---especially if you like history --will find much to enjoy here.
If you are a faster reader than I--I am quite slow--you might finish it in less time. I recommend it for anyone with a serious liking for historical fiction and /or family sagas. Also, for anyone with an interest in English history.
December 19, 2019
I don’t really have anything bad to say about this book except that it was just so darn long! The author clearly did a ton of research and brought the history of London to life. There are a lot of characters to keep straight. Many interesting historical tidbits keep things interesting.
2019 reading challenge: a book over 1000 pages
2019 reading challenge: a book over 1000 pages
June 21, 2015
With over eleven hundred pages, I was anticipating London to be both entertaining and educational. I was hoping for that magical merging of history and fiction, which gives life to history and historical significance to life. Rutherfurd's book, however, misses this anticipation by a wide margin.
London covers almost two thousand years of history and focuses on a few familial hereditary lines throughout that span of time. Each period of history that is selected by Rutherfurd is complemented by stories that focus on these families. But the stories are mostly rooted in domestic issues. Domestic problems such as infidelity, disobedient spouses, and marriage arrangements dominate every time period covered by Rutherfurd. The history is often provided in narrative form along side the domestic tales and, as a result, life and history move forward on parallel paths. These two vital components seldom merged into that powerful combination known as great historical fiction.
I'll also add that Rutherford stories tend to be prosaic. While he touches on the harsh conditions that humans have endured throughout history, his characters rarely express their suffering that accompanied these hardships. While narratives and positive happenstances occupy spans of pages, descriptions of the tragic or horrific are limited to brief sentences. While this approach makes for a pleasant reading experience, it does not give justice to the realities of our existence.
London covers almost two thousand years of history and focuses on a few familial hereditary lines throughout that span of time. Each period of history that is selected by Rutherfurd is complemented by stories that focus on these families. But the stories are mostly rooted in domestic issues. Domestic problems such as infidelity, disobedient spouses, and marriage arrangements dominate every time period covered by Rutherfurd. The history is often provided in narrative form along side the domestic tales and, as a result, life and history move forward on parallel paths. These two vital components seldom merged into that powerful combination known as great historical fiction.
I'll also add that Rutherford stories tend to be prosaic. While he touches on the harsh conditions that humans have endured throughout history, his characters rarely express their suffering that accompanied these hardships. While narratives and positive happenstances occupy spans of pages, descriptions of the tragic or horrific are limited to brief sentences. While this approach makes for a pleasant reading experience, it does not give justice to the realities of our existence.
December 28, 2021
Read this book in 2009, and its a standalone book about the history of London.
Set as from 54 BC until 1997, we follow six different families throughout the history of London and their achievements.
These six families are wonderfully interwoven through London's history, from the early Roman settlement to the dockland development of today.
Real lifelike characters within this history come vividly to life, and the period details are superbly intertwined in this story about one of the greatest cities in the world today.
Highly recommended, for this is a marvellous standalone book about London, and that's why I like to call this story: "A London Masterpiece"!
Set as from 54 BC until 1997, we follow six different families throughout the history of London and their achievements.
These six families are wonderfully interwoven through London's history, from the early Roman settlement to the dockland development of today.
Real lifelike characters within this history come vividly to life, and the period details are superbly intertwined in this story about one of the greatest cities in the world today.
Highly recommended, for this is a marvellous standalone book about London, and that's why I like to call this story: "A London Masterpiece"!
January 26, 2025
London is a hefty tale that spans across thousands of years, from pre-Roman occupation to as recent as the 20th century. It follows generations of the Merediths, Bulls, Duckets and Doggets, Silversleeves and other families through notable historical experiences like the black plague and the blitz. We see them struggle to survive, change fortunes and class standing, betray and protect family members and so on.
It's filled with mesmerizing stories that any history fan would appreciate and enjoy.
It's filled with mesmerizing stories that any history fan would appreciate and enjoy.
October 11, 2024
Също като "Париж", "Лондон" е една истинска биография. Оценката ми за Париж е по-висока, защото индивидуалните истории бяха много по-драматични, по-големи. В Лондон имаше интересни истории, но си беше предимно разходка из историята на града, а не из историята на драмата зад града. Нормално, предвид това, че Лондон е писана много по-рано, Париж да бъде по-добра. Не съжалявам, че прочетох нито една от двете книги.
January 19, 2018
2.5 stars.
So in 2018 I have decided that I will be doing my own version of a Tome Topple challenge, where every month I will aim to read a book that's ~600 page plus in length.
To kick things off, I've decided to pick up Rutherfurd's 'London', after having enjoyed two of his previous works. Unfortunately, not so much here.
Look, I love the way that Rutherford makes everything interconnected within families, and it's fascinating to watch the city change and develop. However, I didn't really connect or feel anything for the characters, and at various times throughout the chapters, I grew bored with whatever small plot line was being developed. And when you're reading a novel this size, you need to be invested in some way in order to get some level of enjoyment out of it.
It was okay, but not great - not for me, anyway. Still, it probably won't prevent me from checking out s0me of Rutherfurd's other work, and I just hope that I'm able to enjoy it better than my experience here.
So in 2018 I have decided that I will be doing my own version of a Tome Topple challenge, where every month I will aim to read a book that's ~600 page plus in length.
To kick things off, I've decided to pick up Rutherfurd's 'London', after having enjoyed two of his previous works. Unfortunately, not so much here.
Look, I love the way that Rutherford makes everything interconnected within families, and it's fascinating to watch the city change and develop. However, I didn't really connect or feel anything for the characters, and at various times throughout the chapters, I grew bored with whatever small plot line was being developed. And when you're reading a novel this size, you need to be invested in some way in order to get some level of enjoyment out of it.
It was okay, but not great - not for me, anyway. Still, it probably won't prevent me from checking out s0me of Rutherfurd's other work, and I just hope that I'm able to enjoy it better than my experience here.
January 7, 2021
I know that some people are deterred from reading 'big' books. It doesn't bother me. I see a thick tome as something of a challenge.
For my full review please visit my blog at:
For my full review please visit my blog at:
Want to read
December 11, 2014400 pesos el librito, me entran ganas de llorar. Mientras tanto sigo esperando que me lo compren....
August 18, 2012
Edward Rutherford writes mammoth books where the central character is a place and the people in them are incidental and used to drive the plot across a given time period (usually several thousand years). It is a formula that has worked well and gained critical and popular acclaim. ‘London� is the third such novel of his I have read; the other two are ‘Sarum� and ‘The Forest�.
‘London� contains all of the best and worst elements of those two books. In ‘Sarum� the characters and their situations are being shaped by real world historical events and integrated into it. In ‘The Forest� that is less important as we follow families through the generations with real world events are largely in the background. I much prefer the former as it gives the novel more of an authentic feel.
He also skips over too many important events in the first half. I know this is a novel about London but some events would have had an impact on the city. For example, after Julius Caesar’s failed invasion, we skip over Claudius� succesful invasion and end up in the third century when little is happening. Then it ignores the withdrawal of the legions and the Anglo-Saxon migrations and drops us into the 7th century where again not much is happening after Christianity is well established. We see nothing of the turmoil of the conversion period, the establishment of Lundenwic, or the effects of the Viking attacks. The book limps toward the Norman invasion which is the first good chapter.
Into the second millennium and though the Henry II-Thomas Beckett event is dealt with well, the Black Death and its after effects on society is given little coverage (a stark contrast to Sarum). Instead we get meaningless fair such as “The Whorehouse�, which, though amusing to understand and see how church-run brothels worked in medieval London, does little to advance the plot.
The second half is better with more integration. Real improvement is seen in “God’s Fire� which deals with the beginning of the Stuart era, the Civil War and Restoration. The most impressive chapter centres around the design and building of St. Paul’s Cathedral. Rutherford writes with such passion that this is easily the best chapter, if only as much care had been put into other chapters, this would have superseded ‘Sarum� as my favourite work by this author. Then we feed through the world wars, including the blitz and to 1997 (date of publication of the book) with a short epilogue. I am assuming that the novel was finished and published before the two major events of that year: the election of Tony Blair and the death of Princess Diana. A shame almost that he did not hold off long enough to write a chapter on the millennium celebrations at The Dome to bring it full circle.
Overall this book is a slog and though better than ‘The Forest� it is not as good as ‘Sarum� I will probably read another Rutherford but only if a suitable subject comes up. To date, his other written work is ‘Russka�, ‘New York�, ‘Dublin� and ‘Ireland�.
‘London� contains all of the best and worst elements of those two books. In ‘Sarum� the characters and their situations are being shaped by real world historical events and integrated into it. In ‘The Forest� that is less important as we follow families through the generations with real world events are largely in the background. I much prefer the former as it gives the novel more of an authentic feel.
He also skips over too many important events in the first half. I know this is a novel about London but some events would have had an impact on the city. For example, after Julius Caesar’s failed invasion, we skip over Claudius� succesful invasion and end up in the third century when little is happening. Then it ignores the withdrawal of the legions and the Anglo-Saxon migrations and drops us into the 7th century where again not much is happening after Christianity is well established. We see nothing of the turmoil of the conversion period, the establishment of Lundenwic, or the effects of the Viking attacks. The book limps toward the Norman invasion which is the first good chapter.
Into the second millennium and though the Henry II-Thomas Beckett event is dealt with well, the Black Death and its after effects on society is given little coverage (a stark contrast to Sarum). Instead we get meaningless fair such as “The Whorehouse�, which, though amusing to understand and see how church-run brothels worked in medieval London, does little to advance the plot.
The second half is better with more integration. Real improvement is seen in “God’s Fire� which deals with the beginning of the Stuart era, the Civil War and Restoration. The most impressive chapter centres around the design and building of St. Paul’s Cathedral. Rutherford writes with such passion that this is easily the best chapter, if only as much care had been put into other chapters, this would have superseded ‘Sarum� as my favourite work by this author. Then we feed through the world wars, including the blitz and to 1997 (date of publication of the book) with a short epilogue. I am assuming that the novel was finished and published before the two major events of that year: the election of Tony Blair and the death of Princess Diana. A shame almost that he did not hold off long enough to write a chapter on the millennium celebrations at The Dome to bring it full circle.
Overall this book is a slog and though better than ‘The Forest� it is not as good as ‘Sarum� I will probably read another Rutherford but only if a suitable subject comes up. To date, his other written work is ‘Russka�, ‘New York�, ‘Dublin� and ‘Ireland�.
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