David Long

A charming gift book of the strangest and most intriguing stories of London. A fascinating tour of London's strangest and most intriguing locations. Ranging from architectural evidence of past incidents and stories of life beneath the city, to anecdotes of magic, mystery, and murder, this is a perfect companion for anyone curious about London. It includes: A Museum of Magical Curiosities; The City's Lost Tunnels and Citadels; The Ghost of a She-Wolf; The Bawdy House Riots; The Story of “Jack the Stripper”; The Atmospheric Railway; The Thames Ringway Bicycle Race; A Banker Hanged at Newgate; The Crossdressing Highwayman; Bluebottles, Rozzers and Woodentops; The Hidden Statue of a Beaver; The “Belgravia of Death”; Whitehall’s Licensed Brothel; Pin-Makers, Mole-Takers and Rat Catchers; Drinking in “The Bucket of Blood”; London's Most Haunted House. All of London is here!

Discover the Capital's Secrets & Surprises

Bizarre London

Oil Trading

The first recipients of the Dickin Medal in December 1943 were three pigeons serving with the Royal Air Force, all of whom contributed to the recovery of aircrew from ditched aircraft. The most recent to be honoured is Treo, a black Labrador, awarded for his 'heroic actions as an arms and explosives search dog in Afghanistan'. These true tales of heartrending devotion and duty are told from first hand accounts and from the citations themselves.

inspiring true stories of courageous animals

Animal heroes

From Roman Londinium to the seething modern metropolis of today, journey through 2,000 years of the world’s most vibrant capital. Shaped by invasion, occupation and immigration, and upheavals as diverse as the Great Fire, the Blitz and the Big Bang, London’s history is unmatched for variety and drama. Sharing his passion and expert knowledge, David Long selects 100 places that best tell this incredible story. Discover Roman temples, Saxon burial mounds, frost fairs on the frozen Thames, Georgian windmills, and one old brown shoe, each with its own unique insight into a critical period of London’s evolution. Whether you prefer to explore history on your feet or from an armchair, this little book will captivate and surprise, revealing oft-overlooked gems among the famous landmarks and the hidden stories locked within.

A History of London in 100 Places

TfL: the Story of the London Underground

Fascinating little-known facts about the London Underground, new in paperback

The Little Book of the London Underground

Bizarre England is an intriguing tour of England's weirdest and most fascinating sights. Places like Devon's Gnome Reserve, Britain's smallest pub, a church for dragon slayers, a subterranean ballroom and much more. From weird buildings to eccentric museums and from mystical superstitions to remnants of magical rites, this is a guide to England like no other.

Discover the Country's Secrets and Surprises

Bizarre England

Harry Bloom

Ahoy shipmate! Grab your magnifying glass and seek out history's most notorious pirates in this swashbuckling search-and-find adventure, packed with over 200 things to spot! Explore the lives of 10 real pirates and learn about life on the high seas, whilst using the free magnifying glass to spot more than 200 pirate-themed items in each eye-boggling illustration. Kids will have fun using the magnifying glass to search whilst learning about real life pirates in this seafaring adventure!

With a 3x Magnifying Glass

Pirates Magnified

Grab your magnifying glass and charge into battle with this search-and-find history adventure packed with more than 200 things to spot in each eye-boggling illustration. Meet history's most heroic knights as you travel back in time to follow Sir Gallahad into the court of King Arthur, Joan of Arc into battle, and Richard the Lionheart on his last crusade. Use the magnifying glass to explore cutaway castles, epic medieval battlefields, and impressive royal tournaments, then learn about chivalry, armor, and jousting. Written by the Blue Peter award-winning David Long, this book will delight and inform the most inquisitive young squires and ladies! Continue your up-close, search-and-find history adventures with Pirates Magnified and Egypt Magnified.

Castles Magnified

The seminal and pioneering London Underground is more than a mass transportation network - it is a style icon, its history involving some of the most important architects and artists of their time. Exploring Frank Pick's vision through the development of Metroland to Holden's innovative designs, David Long expertly weaves the story of the Underground - its abundance of characters (some good, some not so good), design firsts and brand identity - with Jane Magarigal's atmospheric photography. From suburban expansion to Blitz bombings and Soviet adulation, this book celebrates what remains a magnificent engineering and aesthetic achievement while providing an affectionate if slightly elegiac portrait of a London which is now gone for good.

Architecture, Design and History

London Underground

A fact-filled and captivating retelling of one of history's most famous space missions, publishing to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Apollo 13's fateful launch.

The Apollo 13 Mission

Survival in Space

Featuring 19 different characters from Ancient Egyptian times, as well as an introduction to the Ancient Egyptian world, a key to decoding hieroglyphics and a timeline of key events, this book provides a new angle on a classic subject, bringing the ancient world to life.

Meet the People Behind the History

We Are the Ancient Egyptians

Ancient World Magnified whisks readers on a journey through time, magnifying glass in hand, for a search-and-find adventure at the beginning of human history.

Ancient World Magnified

Featuring 19 different characters from Roman times, as well as an introduction to the Roman world, a map of the empire and a timeline of key events, this book provides a new angle on a classic subject, bringing the ancient world to life.

We Are the Romans

Stuck in a state of purgatory in the Washington State house in which he lived and died, Evan Molloy, a son, husband, and stepfather who had shot himself to death for a reason he cannot recall, now must deal with the home's new inhabitant, Maureen Keniston, a woman in her late thirties struggling to rebuild her life in the wake of a long affair with a married man. Reprint.

The Inhabited World

Explore ancient Egypt, from the Nile to the pyramids, and learn what life was life for pharaohs, slaves and scribes in this fascinating search-and-find adventure. Use the magnifying glass to spot over 200 things in each eye-boggling illustration and discover what happened in the market, temple, school and palace with authentic detail and cutaway scenes.

Egypt Magnified

Published to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the launch of the HMS Beagle, this fully-illustrated book tells the story of Charles Darwin, detailing the history of his life and how his ground-breaking discoveries and astonishing researched helped shape the world today.

Uncover How Darwin's Revolutionary Ideas Helped Change the World

When Darwin Sailed the Sea

Step back in time to Ancient Rome and meet some of the many people who lived, worked, and played during that time. From a young slave boy to a fierce gladiator, a washerwoman to a wealthy lady, and a mosaic artist to the emperor himself - each one will share with you the story of their own daily life. Together, they are the Romans. Featuring 19 different characters from Roman times, as well as an introduction to the Roman world, a map of the empire and a timeline of key events, this book provides a new angle on a classic subject, bringing the ancient world to life.

Step back in time to Ancient Egypt and meet some of the many people who lived, worked, and played during that time. From a necropolis builder to a tomb robber, a brewer to an embalmer, and a slave girl to the Pharaoh himself - each one will share with you the story of their own daily life. Together, they are the Ancient Egyptians. Featuring 19 different characters from Ancient Egyptian times, as well as an introduction to the Ancient Egyptian world, a key to decoding hieroglyphics and a timeline of key events, this book provides a new angle on a classic subject, bringing the ancient world to life.

A fascinating tour of London's strangest and most intriguing locations. Ranging from architectural evidence of past incidents and stories of life beneath the city, to anecdotes of magic, mystery and murder, this is a perfect companion for the curious Londoner. It includes: A Museum of Magical Curiosities; The City's Lost Tunnels and Citadels; The Ghost of a "She-Wolf; The Bawdy House Riots; The Story of 'Jack the Stripper'; The Atmospheric Railway; The Thames Ringway Bicycle Race; A Banker Hanged at Newgate; The Crossdressing Highwayman; Bluebottles, Rozzers and Woodentops; The Hidden Statue of a Beaver; The 'Belgravia of Death'; Whitehall's Licensed Brothel; Pin-Makers, Mole-Takers and Rat Catchers; Drinking in 'The Bucket of Blood'; London's Most Haunted House. All of London is here!

David Long

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