The Stones Of London: A History In Twelve Buildings - Leo Hollis

'Hollis's absorbing ability to conjure and flesh each period he explores...Stories within stories tumble out like Russian dolls. By the end one has met many interesting characters and almost inadvertently absorbed vast amounts about the creation, buildings and streets of London. A beguiling device; a stalking horse of Palladian proportions.' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 'Nothing but geography connects Wembly Stadium and Westminster Abbey; or the Georgian elegance of Home House in Portman Square and a postwar block of flats such as Keeling House... But Hollis holds these disparate elements together with skill, constructing with the stones of London a story that is much greater than the sum of its parts. He switches perspectives effortlessly, moving from local to national to international and back again in the space of a few paragraphs.' LITERARY REVIEW 'Leo Hollis has found a clever way of framing the story of our city, and in his examination of the architectural fabric of London fascinating detail springs from every page. 'The Stones of London' presents micro-histories of 12 constructions that defined periods of urban change...Hollis uses the social context of each structure's conception funding design, construction and changing function to illustrate how buildings have defined London and therefore England, Britain and the empire.' TIME OUT 'Finding new ways to tell the story of 2,000 years of London is not easy, but Hollis has found an elegant solution by focusing on 12 buildings that exemplify 12 periods in the development of the city...Hollis has chosen his building well: their stories present an original perspective on London's complex history.' -- Nick Rennison THE SUNDAY TIMES 'an enjoyable read and a fresh perspective for those seeking to know more about the evolution of London.' CURRENT ARCHAEOLOGY 'Hollis has a fine eye for architecture, and engagingly describes neo-classical marvels as well as the Labour government's dockside folly of the Millennium Dome... Hollis is good company' THE SPECTATOR 'In this entertaining social and architectural story of London from Roman times to the present day, the 'stones' include not only bricks, steel, glass and wood, but other necessary elements that gave the city its changing shape and character: money, needs and power.' RA (The Royal Academy Magazine) 'this is an enthusiastic work, by an author who plainly relishes the delights of quarrying London's past in search of treasure. It raises many stimulating thoughts' BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE 'Hollis is excellent on history...this is an imaginative book that finds a convincing new way to tell the story of one of the most written-about cities in the world.' THE INDEPENDENT

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