Abandoned London is a useful and fascinating guide to out of the way and hidden destinations in London. Due out in July 2021 from Amber Books, it's 224 pages and will be available in hardcover format.
Instead of fighting the crowds at the well known tourist destinations when traveling I have always preferred the weird, the ignored, the lesser known, more esoteric sightseeing. London is a wonderful place for weird sights, being both ancient and having been rebuilt over millennia. This book is such a cool collection of exactly those oft overlooked things to see in London and environs.
The book's destinations are arranged thematically: industry, transport, public spaces, shops & retail, pubs cafes & restaurants, residential, and sport & leisure. Each entry is comprised of short text explanations and locations with one or more colour photographs. The text is easy to understand and offers tantalising glimpses into the past with almost as much unsaid. There were only a few with which I was previously familiar (Stompie the tank in its garden) and an absolute plethora of others I hadn't heard of before. There are some places pictured which I don't imagine are accessible to the public for safety/health reasons. I found them fascinating nevertheless, and I'm glad the author included them.
Four stars. This is a quirky and beautifully photographed book. Highly recommended it for Anglophiles and lovers of the abandoned out of the way places. It's especially welcome now, when we are prevented from traveling.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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