While there are some incredible cities across the globe, London remains my favourite. To quote Samuel Johnson, “when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.” And for someone who immerses themself in history, there really is one hundred times more than I could ever hope to explore. (However, I will be making a good stab at it on my return trip.) If you are like me and find yourself fascinated with London, look no further. These are the best non-fiction books about London!
The Best Non-Fiction Books about London
I have read a lot of books about London. And a lot of very niche books. Here I’ve tried to focus on broader books. We have some that are focusing on a particular period or through a specific lens, but nothing too drilled down. I’ve also tried to highlight several books written by women, as those tend to be in shorter supply with non-fiction history books!
A note: I have done my best to focus on books still being published. There are several great older books but they aren’t currently being published.
A Short History of London: The Creation of a World Capital, Simon Jenkins
London: a settlement founded by the Romans, occupied by the Saxons, conquered by the Danes and ruled by the Normans. This changeful place became a medieval maze of alleys and courtyards, later to be chequered with grand estates of Georgian splendour. It swelled with industry and became the centre of the largest empire in history. And having risen from the rubble of the Blitz, it is now one of the greatest cities in the world.
From the prehistoric occupants of the Thames Valley to the preoccupied commuters of today, Simon Jenkins brings together the key events, individuals and trends in London’s history to create a matchless portrait of the capital. He masterfully explains the battles that determined how London was conceived and built – and especially the perennial conflict between money and power.
Based in part on his experiences of and involvement in the events that shaped the post-war city, and with his trademark colour and authority, Jenkins shows above all how London has taken shape over more than two thousand years. Fascinating for locals and visitors alike, this is narrative history at its finest, from the most ardent protector of our heritage.
Why You Should Read This…
Jenkins is a controversial figure but this is a direct and thorough biography of London, largely the architecture and organisation of the city. The boroughs and former cities that make up London now have woven together over the centuries to become one of the most complex modern cities and this is a fascinating exploration. It is not the shortest book (despite the title) but it is not the several volumes it could be- it is succinct for a wildly complex city.
Georgian London: Into the Streets, Lucy Inglis
All aboard for a tour of London’s most formative age-the age of love, sex, intellect, art, great ambition and fantastic ruin. Travel back to the Georgian years, a time that changed life expectancy and the expectation of what life could be. Peek into the gilded drawing rooms of the aristocracy, walk down the quiet avenues of the new middle class, and crouch in the damp doorways of the poor. But watch your wallet – tourists make perfect prey for the thriving community of hawkers, prostitutes and scavengers.
Visit, if you dare, the madhouses of Hackney, the workshops of Soho and the mean streets of Cheapside. Have a coffee in the city, check the stock exchange, and pop into St Paul’s to see progress on the new dome.
This book is about the Georgians who called London their home, from dukes and artists to rent boys and hot air balloonists meeting dog-nappers and life-models along the way. It investigates the legacies they left us in architecture and art, science and society, and shows the making of the capital millions know and love today.
Why You Should Read This…
The Georgian period is one of my favourites in history. Over a hundred years, the Georgian period saw incredible change in London and beyond. Inglis’ book is easy-to-read and you won’t be able to put it down; she brings eighteenth and nineteenth century London to life. You will recognise many of the places (and some of the people) but they look… different. And that is what makes this book fantastic! (I will say, there are a few gorier stories, but I am rather squeamish and was okay with it.)
Look Up London: Discover the Details You Have Never Noticed Before in 10 Walks, Katie Wignall
Have you ever noticed London’s tiniest public sculpture? Or wondered why there are strange cone-shaped structures on the fanciest historic homes? Did you know that the Tower of London used to be a zoo, or about the now defunct London railway that transported over 200,000 people to their final resting place?
These are just some of the fascinating details that Blue Badge Tourist guide Katie Wignall reveals in this absorbing guide to the secrets of London hidden in plain sight. Take a journey through London’s rich past with these 10 fully guided walking routes and discover a whole world of incredible history hiding above your eye-line, just waiting to be spotted.
From the saucy scandals of Covent Garden to stories of power and intrigue from the City, atmospheric pubs to hidden Roman remains, London is a city bursting with captivating stories which are etched into its very architecture.
So, Look Up and discover a London you have never seen before.
Why You Should Read This…
Katie is one of my favourite tour guides and I always book a tour with her when I am back in London. I wanted to include her book because she connects the history of the city with what you can see in front of you, and she always finds the most intriguing pieces of London’s history to highlight. (I sincerely recommend reading this before you find yourself in the city, it is a pre-trip read!) Also, I would recommend spending a few moments checking things out on Google Maps if you aren’t in London when you read it.
A People’s History of London, Lindsey German, John Rees
In the eyes of Britain’s heritage industry, London is the traditional home of empire, monarchy and power, an urban wonderland for the privileged, where the vast majority of Londoners feature only to applaud in the background.
Yet, for nearly 2000 years, the city has been a breeding ground for radical ideas, home to thinkers, heretics and rebels from John Wycliffe to Karl Marx. It has been the site of sometimes violent clashes that changed the course of history: the Levellers’ doomed struggle for liberty in the aftermath of the Civil War; the silk weavers, match girls and dockers who crusaded for workers’ rights; and the Battle of Cable Street, where East Enders took on Oswald Mosley’s Black Shirts.
A People’s History of London journeys to a city of pamphleteers, agitators, exiles and revolutionaries, where millions of people have struggled in obscurity to secure a better future.
Why You Should Read This…
A city is not a city without the people that call it home, and this social history of London uncovers the stories of so many people who left their mark on history but their names have been forgotten. We often think of London for its varying architecture, for the monarchy, for its Roman foundations. But there is a far more radical side to the city than most of us realise! I think that given politically and socially where the world is in 2025 (when this is published), the history of social movements are more important than ever.
Londonopolis: A Curious History of London, Martin Latham
Which tube station once housed the Elgin Marbles? What lies behind a Piccadilly doorway that helped Darwin launch his theory of evolution? And who named the Natural History Museum’s long-tailed dinosaur Mr. Whippy? Londonopolis celebrates all the weird and the wonderful things that make London so magical, and whisks you down the rabbit hole into the warren of backstreets, landmarks, cemeteries, palaces, markets, museums, and secret gardens of the great metropolis. Meet the characters who populate the city, from cockneys to royalty, and peel back layers of time to uncover stories that grow curiouser and curiouser as they go along.
Why You Should Read This…
Not only is this physically a very cool book to look at but it is a meddling meander through London’s history in the best way. It is divided up chronologically and is small, easy-to-digest chunks, meaning it is great when you only have time to read a few pages. You will learn some of the city’s more off-beat and varied moments throughout the centuries, but that is what makes London London. While you will meet people you know, like Geoffrey Chaucer and Samuel Johnson, you will also meet others that are rarely explored. And they have some of the most interesting stories to tell!
What is your favourite piece of London’s history?
Cheers,
The Historian
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