Here are some of Caroline’s and Barbara’s favourites from among the books they have been reading recently.

London Lights: The Minds that Moved the City that Shook the World
By James Hamilton (John Murray 2007)
In the fifty years between Nelson’s death and the Great Exhibition, London came of age. This newly sprawling metropolis may have been foul and dangerous but it was also a burgeoning hotbed of art, technology and science. London Lights charts the lives and achievements of extraordinary characters who, through their genius and courage, luck and misfortune, anger and charm, put London at the cutting edge of cultural change.
See http://www.jhhamilton.co.uk/index.htm

The Phoenix: St Paul’s Cathedral and the Men Who Made Modern London
Leo Hollis (Weidenfeld & Nicolson 2008)
In this fascinating, richly detailed account of how St Paul’s rose from London’s ashes after the Great Fire, Leo Hollis unravels what he calls this “puzzle in stone” to describe not just the new cathedral and its design and construction but also the complex politics, science and philosophy of the day and the ambitions of the extraordinary men who created the first truly modern city.
See http://www.stpauls.co.uk/

Medical London: City of Diseases, City of Cures
Richard Barnett (Strange Attractor Press 2008)
A guide to London’s past and a treasure trove of information for historians, residents, medical professionals and tourists, Medical London charts the many roles that diseases, treatments and cures have played in the city’s sprawling story. It also reveals how London, in turn, has shaped the professions and practices of modern medicine.
See http://www.medicalmuseums.org/

Artists’ London: Holbein to Hirst
Kit Wedd (Merrell Publishing 2001)
This book was produced to accompany the exhibition “Creative Quarters: the art world in London 1700-2000” at the Museum of London. It charts the compelling history of London’s artistic quarters, from the sixteenth century to the present day.
See http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/English/