Imagined London: A Tour of the World's Greatest Fictional City (National Geographic Directions)

Anna Quindlen first visited London from a chair in her suburban Philadelphia home—in one of her beloved childhood mystery novels. She has been back to London countless times since, through the pages of books and in person, and now, in Imagined London, she takes her own readers on a tour of this greatest of literary cities.While New York, Paris, and Dublin are also vividly portrayed in fiction, it is London, Quindlen argues, that has always been the star, both because of the primacy of English literature and the specificity of city descriptions. She bases her view of the city on her own detailed literary map, tracking the footsteps of her favorite characters: the places where Evelyn Waugh's bright young things danced until dawn, or where Lydia Bennett eloped with the dastardly Wickham.In Imagined London, Quindlen walks through the city, moving within blocks from the great books of the 19th century to the detective novels of the 20th to the new modernist tradition of the 21st. With wit and charm, Imagined London gives this splendid city its full due in the landscape of the literary imagination.Praise for Imagined London:"Shows just how much a reading experience can enrich a physical journey." —New York Times Book Review"An elegant new work of nonfiction... People will be inspired by this book." —Ann Curry, Today"An affectionate, richly allusive tribute to the city." —Kirkus ReviewsFrom the Trade Paperback edition.

Anna Quindlen first visited London from a chair in her suburban Philadelphia home—in one of her beloved childhood mystery novels. She has been back to London countless times since, through the pages of books and in person, and now, in Imagined London, she takes her own readers on a tour of this greatest of literary cities.

While New York, Paris, and Dublin are also vividly portrayed in fiction, it is London, Quindlen argues, that has always been the star, both because of the primacy of English literature and the specificity of city descriptions. She bases her view of the city on her own detailed literary map, tracking the footsteps of her favorite characters: the places where Evelyn Waugh's bright young things danced until dawn, or where Lydia Bennett eloped with the dastardly Wickham.

In Imagined London, Quindlen walks through the city, moving within blocks from the great books of the 19th century to the detective novels of the 20th to the new modernist tradition of the 21st. With wit and charm, Imagined London gives this splendid city its full due in the landscape of the literary imagination.

Praise for Imagined London:

Shows just how much a reading experience can enrich a physical journey. —New York Times Book Review

An elegant new work of nonfiction... People will be inspired by this book. —Ann Curry, Today

An affectionate, richly allusive tribute to the city. —Kirkus Reviews

The New York Times - Pamela Paul

Rather than lead us to the usual landmarks, Quindlen muses on her real passion: English literature and its London legacy. No literary snob, she veers from Henry to P. D. James and explores Sherlock Holmes's beat, Nancy Mitford's romps and Evelyn Waugh's targets, with room for plenty of Dickens. Best read by committed Anglophiles, Quindlen's appreciation of the literary city shows just how much a reading experience can enrich the physical journey.

Anna Quindlen first visited London from a chair in her suburban Philadelphia home--in one of her beloved childhood mystery novels. She has been back to London countless times since, through the pages of books and in person, and now, in Imagined London, she takes her own readers on a tour of this greatest of literary cities. While New York, Paris, and Dublin are also vividly portrayed in fiction, it is London, Quindlen argues, that has always been the star, both because of the primacy of English literature and the specificity of city descriptions. She bases her view of the city on her own detailed literary map, tracking the footsteps of her favorite characters: the places where Evelyn Waugh's bright young things danced until dawn, or where Lydia Bennett eloped with the dastardly Wickham. In Imagined London, Quindlen walks through the city, moving within blocks from the great books of the 19th century to the detective novels of the 20th to the new modernist tradition of the 21st. With wit and charm, Imagined London gives this splendid city its full due in the landscape of the literary imagination. Praise for Imagined London: "Shows just how much a reading experience can enrich a physical journey." -- New York Times Book Review "An elegant new work of nonfiction... People will be inspired by this book." --Ann Curry, Today "An affectionate, richly allusive tribute to the city." -- Kirkus Reviews This Book Is A Tale Of Three Cities: The Fictional London That Lives In The Pages Of Writers From Shakespeare To P.d. James And Martin Amis; The Historical Metropolis Where So Many Immortal Authors Have Made Their Homes; And The Vibrant Capital That Today Welcomes Visitors From All Over The World. Anna Quindlen Evokes All Three As She Travels From Sherlock Holmes's Digs At 221b Baker Street (as Real An Imaginary Address As There Ever Was), To Poet's Corner In Westminster Abbey, A Memorial To The Greatest Writers Of Our Language, To Hyde Park Gate, The Genteel Neighborhood From Which Galsworthy's Forsyte Saga Unfolds. We Stroll Through Elegant Squares That Summon The Ghosts Of Characters From Thackeray And Trollope, And Pause At A Pub Whose Ornate Sign Would Be Familiar To Anyone - Real Or Fictional - From Shakespeare's Era To Today. At Once A Tribute To One Of The World's Greatest Cities And A Freewheeling Celebration Of The Rich Literature It Has Inspired, This Is A Writer's Vision Of A World Both Imagined And Utterly True - All Gathered, Refracted, And Reflected In A Magical Mirror Called London.--jacket. Anna Quindlen. "This book is a tale of three cities: the fictional London that lives in the pages of writers from Shakespeare to P. D. James and Martin Amis; the historical metropolis where so many immortal authors have made their homes; and the vibrant capital that today welcomes visitors from all over the world. Anna Quindlen evokes all three as she travels from Sherlock Holmes's digs at 221b Baker Street (as real an imaginary address as there ever was), to Poet's Corner in Westminster Abbey, a memorial to the greatest writers of our language, to Hyde Park Gate, the genteel neighborhood from which Galsworthy's Forsyte Saga unfolds. We stroll through elegant squares that summon the ghosts of characters from Thackeray and Trollope, and pause at a pub whose ornate sign would be familiar to anyone - real or fictional - from Shakespeare's era to today." "At once a tribute to one of the world's greatest cities and a freewheeling celebration of the rich literature it has inspired, this is a writer's vision of a world both imagined and utterly true - all gathered, refracted, and reflected in a magical mirror called London."--BOOK JACKET. Annotation Anna Quindlen first visited London from a chair in her suburban Philadelphia home - in one of her beloved childhood mystery novels. She has been back to London countless times since, through the pages of books and in person, and now, in Imagined London, she takes her own readers on a tour of this greatest of literary cities. While New York, Paris, and Dublin are also vividly portrayed in fiction, it is London, Quindlen argues, that has always been the star, both because of the primacy of English literature and the specificity of city descriptions. She bases her view of the city on her own detailed literary map, tracking the footsteps of her favorite characters: the places where Evelyn Waugh's bright young things danced until dawn, or where Lydia Bennett eloped with the dastardly Wickham. In Imagined London, Quindlen walks through the city, moving within blocks from the great books of the 19th century to the detective novels of the 20th to the new modernist tradition of the 21st. With wit and charm, Imagined London gives this splendid city its full due in the landscape of the literary imagination Explores how the city of London has been portrayed in fiction writing throughout history, comparing the fictional city with the historical city it was and the vibrant capital it is now The author offers a tour of the English capital and its literary significance, tracking the footsteps of some of her favorite fictional characters throughout London.