London cover art

London

The Biography, Fire and Pestilence

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London

By: Peter Ackroyd
Narrated by: Simon Callow
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Ackroyd portrays London from the time of the druids to the beginning of the twenty-first century, noting magnificence in both epochs, but this is not a simple chronological record. It is a comprehensive account, animated by Ackroyd's concern for the close relationship between the present and the past as well as by what he describes as the peculiar "echoic" quality of London whereby its texture and history actively affect the lives and personalities of its citizens. London is perhaps the most important study of the city ever written, and confirms Ackroyd's status as what one critic has called "our age's greatest London imagination". Fire and Pestilence explores London's age-old ability to regenerate and reinvent itself, illustrated by human and physical phenomena including: disasters and plagues, political turmoil and riots, fires, and The Blitz.©2000 Peter Ackroyd; (P)2004 Random House Audiobooks Europe Great Britain
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Critic reviews

"Peter Ackroyd was born to write the biography of London¿a brilliant book" ( Sunday Telegraph [London])
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Perfect piece of writing. Evocative, informative, with a beautiful poetic and imaginative creativity of expression.
Perfect reader choice.

Ackrods skill

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Frustrating it is broken into 5 separate parts, charged separately so too expensive considering abridgement and length of each part, and they’re not clearly titled/differentiated or numbered in the catalogue. Greedy and lazy publisher.

Amazing book, greedy publisher

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The books are good but should be combined into a single audible title for value

Sweet but short titles should be combined.

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