It's here! Browse the 2024 Penguin Christmas gift guide
A Short History of London

A Short History of London

The Creation of a World Capital

Summary

'Fascinating and timely. Required reading for every developer, planner or councillor who holds London in trust today' Griff Rhys Jones

'Accessible, clear and readable' Rowan Moore, The Observer
_____

LONDON: a settlement founded by the Romans, occupied by the Saxons, conquered by the Danes and ruled by the Normans.

This unremarkable place - not even included in the Domesday Book - became a medieval maze of alleys and courtyards, later to be chequered with grand estates of Georgian splendour. It swelled with industry and became the centre of the largest empire in history. And rising from the rubble of the Blitz, it is now one of the greatest cities in the world.

From the prehistoric occupants of the Thames valley to the preoccupied commuters of today, Simon Jenkins brings together the key events, individuals and trends in London's history to create a matchless portrait of the capital.
_____

'A vivid and deeply well-informed account of London's history' Charles Saumarez Smith, Professor of Cultural History, Queen Mary University of London

'Extremely informative and witty' Roy Porter, author of London: A Social History on Landlords to London

'A short, invigorating gallop over two and a half thousand years' Scotsman on A Short History of Europe

Reviews

  • Fascinating and timely. Truly the story of the fabric we see before us. Required reading for every developer, planner or councillor who holds London in trust today
    Griff Rhys Jones

About the author

Simon Jenkins

Simon Jenkins is author of the bestselling A Short History of England, A Short History of Europe, Britain's 100 Best Railway Stations, England's Thousand Best Churches and England's Thousand Best Houses. He is a former Editor of the Evening Standard and The Times, and columnist for the Guardian.
Learn More

Sign up to the Penguin Newsletter

For the latest books, recommendations, author interviews and more