London: A History

Francis Sheppard

Oxford University Press, 2000 - History - 442 pages

"When a man is tired of London," Samuel Johnson noted in 1777, "he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford." Indeed, for almost two thousand years, London has been the political, cultural, and economic heart of Britain, and one of the great hubs of world affairs.
Now, in this fascinating volume, the doyen of London historians, Francis Sheppard, provides the definitive account of London's diverse past, from its origins as a Roman settlement (founded at the lowest bridgeable point across the Thames) to the world-class metropolis it is today. It provides a vivid account of a city which was the `deere sweete' place which Chaucer loved more than any other city on earth, which was for Dickens his `magic lantern', and to Keats `a great sea', howling for more wrecks. It is also a story of much contrast and remarkable resilience; through great fires and pestilence, civil war, and the Blitz, London has rebuilt and reinvented itself for each generation.
"Sheppard is the great authority to whom we all look up," Roy Porter has written. "He has made the history of London his life's work, and I suspect there's no one in the world with so full a knowledge and so rich a grasp as he of sources, physical fabric, and all manner of details." In this colorful new history, Sheppard takes us on a fascinating voyage through London's past. It is the definitive account of the rise to power of one of the world's great metropolitan centers.

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Review: London: A History

User Review  - Candy Wood - Goodreads

Francis Sheppard covers an amazing amount of London's history in under 500 pages, including several maps and black and white plates that provide more than the usual views. In addition, he identifies ...

Contents

• Introduction: 1
• Introduction: 51
• From Lundenhurg to the Birth of a Municipal Commune c 8861215: 64
• The Emergence of the Medieval Capital c 1216C 1530: 92
• Part IIL The Genesis of Modern London 15301700: 125
• Religious and Educational Revolution: 148
• Political Revolutions: 161
• The Processes of Growth: 171
• The Administration of the Metropolis: 186
• Death and Life in London: 193
• Introduction: 205
• London and the Genesis of the Industrial Economy: 224
• Religion Education and Leisure: 239
• Metropolitan Politics and Metropolitan Class: 250
• Metropolitan and Imperial London 18301914: 263
• The People of London: 289
• The Imperial and Glohal Metropolis: 309
• Introduction: 321
• World War II19391945: 332
• Disruptions 19451997: 339
• Valediction: 357
• Estimates of the Population of London 15501801: 363
• Bihliography: 395
• Index: 433

About the author

Francis Sheppardis the leading authority on London's past. He is the author ofThe Treasury of London's Pastand the editor ofSurvey of London, volumes twenty-six through forty-one, published between 1956 and 1983. He lives in London.

Bibliographic information

• Title: London: A History
• Author: Francis Sheppard
• Edition: illustrated, reprint
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2000
• ISBN: 0192853694, 9780192853691
• Length: 442 pages
• Subjects: History / Europe / Great Britain; History / Modern / General; Social Science / Sociology / Urban