London: A Guide for Curious Wanderers: THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

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See London in a completely new light in this guide to the city's hidden secrets, untold stories and special places laden with history which you can discover for yourself!

This was so fascinating to read! London for the Curious Wanderers is just that - a guide to help you spot all the little gems the city has to offer, that you might just walk by otherwise! This book is here to help you out. It even has a walking tour map, at the end of each section, so you can go and spot quite a few of the curios for yourself. London is famous for its museums, each one full of treasures and relics – but the biggest museum in the capital is the city itself. From the stories behind unusual street names to the trees in our parks; railings made from recycled WWII stretchers to shrapnel damage on walls; the hidden symbols on post boxes, to prehistoric tree trunks – there is a rich history hidden in the oft-overlooked details of the city's streets, gardens, parks and buildings.

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Readers are offered four walks through London. The first goes from Tower Hill Station to Liverpool Street Station. Next is Tottenham Court Road Station to Trafalgar Square. Third is London Bridge Station to Borough Station. Finally, there is a walk from Westminster Station to Berkeley Square. What makes this book stand out are the detailed illustrations by Katharine Fraser instead of expected photos. Although some actual photos to provide a bit more “street” context would have been nice, I suppose that context would be supplied by actual walk to the places Chesher describes. Each walk has a theme. For example, the first one focuses on London’s buildings. They go from Roman ruins to skyscrapers. London is famous for its museums, each one full of treasures and relics – but the biggest museum in the capital is the city itself. From the stories behind unusual street names, to the trees in our parks; railings made from recycled WWII stretchers, to shrapnel damage on walls; the hidden symbols on post boxes, to prehistoric tree trunks – there is a rich history hidden in the oft-overlooked details of the city's streets, gardens, parks and buildings.

London is famous for its museums, each one full of treasures and relics – but the biggest museum in the capital is the city itself. In the introduction, the author states that he wants to show explorers lots of hidden corners. He also want to provide an “ability to read London.” Sounds good. Overall I think this is a brilliant book, and is not only handy if you’re planning on going for a stroll around London, but also if you simply want to learn some interesting facts and know more about the city’s history. I, for one, am about to annoy my friends and family to no-end with all my new knowledge, and would quite like to book a trip down to London, specifically to see the tiny cheese and mice sculpture on Philpot Lane. Exploring cities on foot and finding interesting quirks and details is quite fun. To go beyond standard “big” tourist attractions, to find fascinating little tidbits just hiding in plain sight — it is a great thing for any city explorer.London is famous for its museums, each one full of treasures and relics but the biggest museum in the capital is the city itself. From the stories behind unusual street names, to the trees in our parks; railings made from recycled WWII stretchers, to shrapnel damage on walls; the hidden symbols on post boxes, to prehistoric tree trunks there is a rich history hidden in the oft-overlooked details of the citys streets, gardens, parks and buildings. In 2021 I took part in Open City’s Golden Key Academy guiding course and in October 2021 started running my guided walks of London’s hidden history. My walks focus on one area of London at a time, with the aim to uncover its stories, point out the little details many miss, really get under the city’s skin and ultimately share my passion for the city’s history.