Review: The Secret Lore of London edited by John Matthews with Caroline Wise

Posted April 19, 2016 by Charlotte in Reviews / 2 Comments

The Secret Lore of London edited by John Matthews with Caroline Wise

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: The Secret Lore of London edited by John Matthews with Caroline WiseThe Secret Lore of London by John Matthews
Published by Coronet on May 17, 2016
Genres: Anthropology, Folklore, Historical, Mythology, Non-Fiction, Novella, Short Stories
Pages: 360
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
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London is an ancient city, whose foundation dates back literally thousands of years into the legendary prehistory of these islands. Not surprisingly it has accumulated a large number of stories, both historic and mythical, during this period, many of which, though faithfully recorded at the time, have lain almost forgotten in dusty libraries throughout the city.
The Secret Lore of London is a guide to the legends, including a discussion of their importance as part of the oral tradition of Britain, combining Prehistoric, Celtic, Arthurian, Roman, Saxon and Norman levels - each of which has contributed to the many-layered life of the city.
The first part contains a unique selection of essays (some printed here for the first time) by experts in their fields, each of whom possesses a unique interest in the legends of these islands, and who have written widely on associated themes.
The second part of the book will consist of a Gazetteer of the sites mentioned which are still in existence, together with various other sites of associated interest, compiled by the Editor, the contributors, and members of the London Earth Mysteries Group. This part will be fully updated and extended to include many more sites.
The result is a wide ranging and wholly fascinating book, with wide sales application possible. A series of appendixes will include William Stukley's extraordinary document The Brill, which relates to the ancient prehistoric sites around the area of present day St. Pancras, and excerpts from some of the best known 19th and early 20th century works on Legendary London by Lewis Spence and Harold Bayley
Containing essays and writings by key figures from the world of mythology and a foreword by Peter Ackroyd, this book explores the secrets of the city.

I was initially drawn to The Secret Lore of London because of how pretty the cover is. Just look at it is all sparkly and pretty. Honestly I could stare at it all day…

The book is spilt into three parts: The Legendary City, A Guide to the Sites, Stories from London’s Past.  There is something for all ages. And while not everything was interesting to me personally, I enjoyed learning all the different facts and legends about London, most of which I didn’t know.

I can imagine that this could be a fun little series about major (and minor) cities across the world. After all it is always fun to learn new and interesting facts. My favourite section was Stories from London’s Past, but that’s probably because I studied Archaeology and Classical Studies and so am instantly drawn to all things old…

Also I liked that there is a bibliography at the end of the book for each chapter, so if you want to you can explore in more detail a certain legend or fact. Which is what I did and I had a whole day researching one little area. Oopies..

The Secret Lore of London is a pick and mix of a book and there is something for everyone to dip into and read! A fascinating book that you really really must read.

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2 responses to “Review: The Secret Lore of London edited by John Matthews with Caroline Wise

  1. Charlene @ Bookish Whimsy

    This book does sound fascinating! I wish I had time to read it before my trip to London (maybe I can squeeze it in). London is one of my favorite cities though, so I definitely want to read this and learn more about it!

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