Research for upcoming trip to London

Tammy,
I will never forget the flight to London when I read Notes from a Small Island, many times I laughed out loud. It was so very appropriate. I’ve since read some of his other books, he is a very funny guy!

I'm about to start The Road to Little Dribbling.

I also have The Book Lover's Guide to London but saving that for next year when I go (fingers crossed)

A serious, and long, novel about the story of London is Edward Rutherford’s London. Traces the story of the city from when it was a Stone Age settlement until the present day. Also look for some fascinating books about underground London which look at the stories of London’s hidden rivers, the Tube, the sewer systems etc.

I have read most of Bill Bryson's books and love every single one. I read Notes from a Small Island back in 1996 right before my first trip to England and it was such a great read.

BTW, there is a book called Dear Bill Bryson: Footnotes from a Small Island written by Ben Aitken, that is sort of a homage to the original Bryson book. Aitken basically retraces Bill's exact travels - and I mean exact! He ordered the same food and stayed in the same hotels and so on, then winds up outside Bill Bryson's house at the end. :) I keep meaning to read it and keep forgetting, but I'll have to find it when I get home.

Has anyone read 84 Charing Cross Road? That's another favorite of mine - I read it before my first trip to England in 1996 and loved it. It was such a heartwarming read. I even went to the address so I could see where the bookstore was.

I absolutely loved Notes From A Small Island and my wife and I have read again since. Some of it really strikes home.

If you love Bill Bryson's books and you visit the Roman baths in Bath, be sure to choose Bill's commentary on the audioguide. I laughed at his comments all the way through the baths. It really added another layer to the visit.

Tammy--I love all of Bill Bryson's books. Try I'm a Stranger Here Myself, on his return to the US, Neither Here Nor There for Europe, and In a Sunburned Country for Australia.

I first read Bryson in 1988 and have loved him ever since--my favorite is The Lost Continent, in which he drives all over the US in his mother's Vega, having hilarious adventures and sharing random bits of history. The opening line is perfect: "I come from Des Moines--someone had to."

I thought “The Anglo Files,” by Sarah Lyall, was great. Thoughtful, affectionate and humorous insights into British culture and character. May seem a bit dated now, however — was first published in 2008.

I loved Rutherford's London. It's fiction but follows families from the first settlements to the near present. You learn a lot about the history but in an interesting way. Thumbs up.

If you're going to London as part of your trip, I recommend The Perfect London Walk by Roger Ebert, the late film critic: https://slate.com/culture/2013/07/roger-eberts-lost-book-the-perfect-london-walk-reviewed.html

The book is out of print, but you can find it on Abebooks and other online booksellers.