London: A History - by Laura Carlin (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Imagine a kaleidoscopic view of a storied city--from the remote past to today--brought to life in magnificent illustrations. Laura Carlin's breathtaking artwork animates thousands of years of London history, beginning long before there were cities--when dinosaurs roamed the Earth--and ending with the 2022 death of a beloved monarch."--

Book Synopsis

Idiosyncratic, comprehensive, and impeccably researched, this master work by a revered artist unveils one of the world's most famous cities from pre-history to the present, in all its epic glory.

Imagine a kaleidoscopic view of a storied city--from the remote past to today--brought to life in magnificent illustrations. Laura Carlin's breathtaking artwork animates thousands of years of London history, beginning long before there were cities--when dinosaurs roamed the Earth--and ending with the 2022 death of a beloved monarch. Teeming panoramic spreads track the Ice, Stone, and Bronze Ages; waves of Romans, Anglo Saxons, Vikings, and Normans; and witch hunts and wars both civil and global. From the Plague and the Great Fire of the 1600s to the world wars of the twentieth century, from the lives of the royals to those of housemaids and factory workers, this loving tribute to London through the ages thoughtfully curates passages from historical accounts, poems, and the private diaries of luminaries like Samuel Pepys, Queen Victoria, Charles Dickens, and Virginia Woolf, allowing the city to speak through its famous denizens. An exquisite gift book for art lovers, history buffs, and world travelers of all ages, this rich compendium is for anyone who has fallen--or has yet to fall--under the spell of one of the world's most bewitching cities.

Review Quotes

A sweeping illustrated tour of London from the Pleistocene Epoch to the present. . . . The soft, slightly impressionistic illustrations, executed in watercolor, ink, oil pastel, and colored pencil, use a muted palette that perfectly matches the tone of the narrative, which provides the essence of the history. . . . Like a walk through a well-curated museum on the history of a great city.
--Kirkus Reviews

Fantastically condensed and strikingly illustrated with cryptic sketches reminiscent of medieval manuscripts, this history of the city of London begins in prehistoric times and swiftly sweeps through centuries. . . . Will captivate inquisitive browsers who enjoy getting swept up in historical events.
--Booklist

This book's delightfully effective partnership of visual and textual storytelling makes it a solid choice for upper elementary and junior high school ­collections.
--School Library Journal

About the Author

Laura Carlin is a much loved and lauded artist and illustrator. Among her many books for children are The Iron Man by Ted Hughes, The Promise and King of the Sky by Nicola Davies, The Song of the Nightingale by Tanya Landman, and The Woman Who Turned Children into Birds by David Almond. Her work has received a Bologna Ragazzi Award, a V&A Illustration Award, and numerous New York Times Best Illustrated Book citations and has appeared in publications including the Guardian, the New York Times, and Vogue. Laura Carlin lives in London.