It is iconic, recognised the world over, and loved and despised by Londoners in equal measure. Blending reportage, humour and personal encounters, Andrew Martin embarks on a wonderfully engaging social history of London's underground railway system (which despite its name, is in fact fifty five per cent overground). Along the way he attempts to untangle the mess that is the Northern Line, visit every station in a single day - and find out which gaps to be especially mindful of.Underground, Overground is a highly enjoyable, witty and informative history of everything you need to know about the Tube.

    Each year they are seen by millions of visitors, and they have become as integral a part of the Tower as its ancient stones. But their role is even more important than that—legend has it that if the ravens should ever leave, the Tower will crumble into dust and great harm will befall the kingdom.The responsibility for ensuring that such a disaster never comes to pass falls to one man: the Ravenmaster. The current holder of the position is Yeoman Warder Christopher Skaife, and in this fascinating, entertaining and touching book he memorably describes the ravens’ formidable intelligence, their idiosyncrasies and their occasionally wicked sense of humour. The Ravenmaster is a compelling, inspiring and irreverent story that will delight and surprise anyone with an interest in British history or animal behaviour.

     "It would be wrong to view this book as just a highly accomplished homage to a personal hero. Aitken's politics, as much as his humour, are firmly in the spotlight, and Dear Bill Bryson achieves more than its title (possibly even its author) intended." Manchester Review

    A book about the meaning of travel, about how important the topic has been for writers for two and a half centuries, and about how excellent the literature of travel happened to be in England and America in the 1920s and 30s.

    Charting the controversy that has always dogged the publication — from its flirtation with fascism in the 1930s to its fractious relationship with celebrities today, Addison explains how the divisive paper has shaped British journalism and, indeed, Britain itself.With colorful portraits of rambunctious life behind the masthead (discover why one corridor is dubbed "scary" by staffers), Mail Men includes fascinating biographical details of key figures in the history of the paper — including idiosyncratic boss Paul Dacre, unrivaled moral arbiter for Middle England and the highest paid newspaper editor in the U.K.Drawing on interviews with over 100 of the paper’s journalists, past and present — as well as fans, victims, and critics — this is the uncut story of the Mail Men who created and ran the paper, and the underlings who were expected to give their lives to this peculiarly British institution.

    It is silted up with the memories and artefacts of past voyages. It is the habitat for an astonishing range of wildlife. And for the people who live and work on the estuary, it is a way of life unlike any other - one most would not trade for anything, despites its dangers.Rachel Lichtenstein has travelled the length and breadth of the estuary many times and in many vessels, from hardy tug boats to stately pleasure cruisers to an inflatable dinghy. And during these crossing she has gathered an extraordinary chorus of voices: mudlarkers and fishermen, radio pirates and champion racers, the men who risk their lives out on the water and the women who wait on the shore.From the acclaimed author of Brick Lane and Rodinsky's Room, Estuary is a thoughtful and intimate portrait of a profoundly British place. With a clear eye and a sharp ear, Rachel Lichtenstein captures the essence of a community and an environment, examining how each has shaped and continues to shape the other.

    With irrepressible humor he recounts the history of the waterways and stories of his encounters with characters along the way, and attempts to define the magic that makes England’s waterways so appealing.

    Take your eye off it for more than a moment and you're lost.'Robert Elms has seen London change beyond all imagining: the house he grew up in is now the behemoth that is the Westway flyover, and areas once deemed murder miles have morphed into the stuff of estate agents' dreams, seemingly in a matter of months.Elms takes us back through time and place to myriad Londons. He is our guide through a place that has seen scientific experiments conducted in subterranean lairs, a small community declare itself an independent nation and animals of varying exoticism roam free through its streets; a place his great-great-grandfather made the Elms' home over a century ago and a city that has borne witness to epoch- and world-changing events.

    Mingle with the most extravagant handlebar moustaches in Britain, pay your respects at the dog cemetery in Hyde Park, visit a Masonic temple, take trapeze lessons in a former power station, pray in a floating church, sail on a disused reservoir, discover the stone from which Arthur drew Excalibur, admire the sacred penis of a pharaoh, take aim on the City’s last bowling green, go stargazing at Greenwich Observatory, examine a rare cucumber straightener, a stuffed mermaid or a cow’s heart... Far from the crowds and the usual clichés, London still holds hidden treasures for those who know how to wander off the beaten track. An indispensable guide for those who thought they knew London well, or who would like to discover the hidden face of the city.

    Unearthing the best of the city's stunning architecture, palaces and parks, west-end musicals, world-class art galleries and museums in between, there are 3D aerial views of London's most interesting districts, cutaways and floor-plans of all the major sites, and detailed listings of the best hotels and restaurants in London for all budgets. The guide includes four 'Great Days Out' and extensive practical information including insider tips on where to find London's best shops and markets, traditional pubs and the goldmine of fun to be found for children. Whether you're taking a thrilling 'flight' on the London Eye or gazing at the crown jewels at the Tower of London, there is detailed background on everything from Kings and Queens to where to see Roman, Medieval, Elizabethan and Victorian London as well as several guided walks of varied character.

    From ancient waterways and the vast network of tunnels that weave their way beneath the city’s streets to easily missed courtyards and gardens—each walk is full of surprises.

    A zesty memoir of the celebrated writer's travels to England where she meets the cherished friends from 84, Charing Cross Road.

    A behind-the-scenes expose of life on Savile Row from one of Britain's most celebrated and successful tailors.

    It's a charming tale of success, scandal, and redemption--complete with an unexpected villain.

    A must-have for fans of crime, horror, the supernatural and the simply bizarre, Bloody London will also show you:• Sites of executions and unsolved murders• London’s creepiest cemeteries• Where famous horror authors lived and worked• Where the Plague originated• A haunted churchand many other locations…London’s dark and shocking secrets are laid bare in this compendium of true stories. We dare you to look inside…