London Underground

Hullo Everybody,

I'm looking for novels, histories, etc about what is under London. From the little research I have done I'm beginning to realize that the city has just as rich a history in subterranean dwellings as Paris or New York. Anyone have any suggested readings ?

Cheerio,

Martin

The two that come to mind are The Subterranean Railway: How the London Underground was Built and How it Changed the City for ever by Christian Wilmar and Underground London:Travels beneath the City streets by Stephen Smith. I expect that there's stuff out there about the sewers, especially on Bazalgette's work on the new sewers installed after the 'great stink' of the mid-19th century. Hope this has been useful.

What about The great stink by Clare Clark?

Oh, and I forgot Dark Assassin by Anne Perry, that is if you like detective stories.

Also London Under London by Richard Trench which provides a general overview of the different underground cities. The Subterranean Railway sounds interesting.

In terms of novels the first two to spring to mind are A Metropolitan Murder by Lee Jackson and Underground by Tobias Hill. The former is lovely piece of Victoriana. The latter I've not really started yet. There's also Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, of course, which is more about sub-cultural London but uses the tube a lot.

Thanks guys, that's good info! Looks like I will be reading for a while. How unfortunate *grin*

Hey

253 is also about the London Underground, it's based on an internet book, but it's interesting in how Geoff Ryman set about telling the tale (only using 253 words per character and so on).

London under London by Richard Trench is a classic on the subject.

Subterranean City: Beneath the Streets of London by Antony Clayton is another.

War Plan UK by Duncan Campbell has some stuff on the cable tunnels and deep level shelters.

London's Disused Underground Stations by J.E. Connor does what it says on the tin!

Then there's the strange The Water Room by Christopher Fowler . . .

For a novel set on the tube, mostly at Camden Town tube station, try Underground by Tobias Hill.

Just found, second-hand, What's In A Name? Origins of Station Names on the London Underground.

Dan Simmons's Drood is a novel with the characters of Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins. It involves much moving around underground in London.

Just read Peter Ackroyd's London Under. Good book.

Just bought London's Lost Rivers. Compact but interesting so far.

Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere?

#14> Thank you for the suggestion! Earlier today I ordered a copy of London Under. I read his London years ago and loved it. But, on the other hand, I have enjoyed all the books by Peter Ackroyd I read.

and:

http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/history/2012/06/quite-likely-the-worst-job-ever/

I reckon Terry Pratchett and Dodger were reading this LT thread together.. .. .. .. ..

Anybody going to any of the Underground centennial celebrations?

On our trip this summer my daughter bought Tube Trivia, which she read to us in bits and pieces and we all found very interesting. I also bought Underground, Overground: a Passenger's History of the Tube, which I haven't had a chance to read yet.

There is also the recently published Penguin Underground Lines series celebrating this landmark year for the Tube. Based on LT member Kidzdoc's reviews, John Lancaster's What We Talk About When We Talk About the Tube: the District Line sounds like the best of the lot.

I'm delighted by how many books are written about the London Underground.

I just finished, not yet reviewed, The Madness of Angels by Kate Griffin which had the primary local of the underground London, even gets a bit into to the Mayor of London. I wouldn't normally care for this genre, and still don't, but I did enjoy the landscape that was well-described. It gave me a feel for the tunnels, abandoned old buildings, how the streets were laid out, the old, new and re-purposed.

It gave me a feel for the tunnels, abandoned old buildings, how the streets were laid out, the old, new and re-purposed.

Oooh, I like that sort of thing. Must check it out--thanks for mentioning it.

Recently read Murder Underground by Mavis Doriel Hay, an Agatha Christie-ish mystery from the 1930s about a murder on Belsize Park station on the Northern Line. Fairly inconsequential but an amusing enough read.

I also read it recently and thoroughly enjoyed it. I did think however some of the characters were stupid beyond belief.

>25 tendring: True to life, then?

Just published: River Effra: South London's Secret Spine .
Jon Newman gave an interesting talk about it to The Herne Hill Society a couple of months ago.