Even those who have never read a word Dickens wrote know something of how essential London was to his work, yet without reading his own words on the subject one doesn't realise quite how true this is. This little collection from Hesperus Press does a great job of bringing that fact to life, containing eight excerpts, essays, and letters: The Heart of London, Gone Astray, Scotland Yard, Seven Dials, Gin-Shops, City of the Absent, The Giant Chronicles, and (my personal favourite) Night Walks.

Pete Orford has written a good (and suitably short) introduction, however I would have appreciated a brief preface to each individual piece in addition to this; but overall, having only ever read a few of Dickens's novels, I found this to be a fine introduction to some of his other works. Having been duly impressed, I will be searching out more of his lesser-known writings during my next visit to the library.