Imagined London：A Tour of the World's Greatest Fictional City (National Geographic Directions)

AnnaQuindlenfirstvisitedLondonfromachairinhersuburbanPhiladelphiahome—inoneofherbelovedchildhoodmysterynovels.ShehasbeenbacktoLondoncountlesstimessince,throughthepagesofbooksandinperson,andnow,inImaginedLondon,shetakesherownreadersonatourofthisgreatestofliterarycities.WhileNewYork,Paris,andDublinarealsovividlyportrayedinfiction,itisLondon,Quindlenargues,thathasalwaysbeenthestar,bothbecauseoftheprimacyofEnglishliteratureandthespecificityofcitydescriptions.Shebasesherviewofthecityonherowndetailedliterarymap,trackingthefootstepsofherfavoritecharacters:theplaceswhereEvelynWaugh'sbrightyoungthingsdanceduntildawn,orwhereLydiaBennettelopedwiththedastardlyWickham.InImaginedLondon,Quindlenwalksthroughthecity,movingwithinblocksfromthegreatbooksofthe19thcenturytothedetectivenovelsofthe20thtothenewmodernisttraditionofthe21st.Withwitandcharm,ImaginedLondongivesthissplendidcityitsfulldueinthelandscapeoftheliteraryimagination.PraiseforImaginedLondon:"Showsjusthowmuchareadingexperiencecanenrichaphysicaljourney."—NewYorkTimesBookReview"Anelegantnewworkofnonfiction...Peoplewillbeinspiredbythisbook."—AnnCurry,Today"Anaffectionate,richlyallusivetributetothecity."—KirkusReviews