[ book tip by Emily Bullock ] You have to admire Stephen Smith. As much as I am interested in London and its underground secrets, I don’t think you would find me trawling through rat-infested sewers. Smith must have suffered for his art to write this book, a true journey of obsession. Underground London does exactly what it says on the cover. This is a cross between a travel guide and a history book. Peter Ackroyd might be the king of this genre but Smith certainly has something interesting to say. The real pity is that due to recent security measures there is little chance of the reader following in Smith’s footsteps.

The book is ordered historically from Pre-Roman to Cold War London and beyond. Each section has Smith wandering, and sometimes wading, through dark tunnels, lost rivers, vaulted caverns and festering catacombs. I felt like a small child tripping along behind the writer on his journeys. Smith’s excitement bubbles through the narration, no tunnel too small or descent too deep. He is a true British eccentric at work. My favourite finds were the 25 miles of nuclear bunkers and the mini Royal Mail railway that used to carry over 12 million letters a day.

Informative and mind-boggling, this book will make you look at London in a whole new way. So before you read this book glance down at your feet and think for a moment just what might be lurking beneath...

[ book info ] Smith, Stephen: Underground London. Travels Beneath the City Streets. (Book language: English) Abacus, Great Britain, 2004 (2004). ISBN: 0-349-11565-6.