Product Details
London: A Pilgrimage (Anthem Travel Classics)

London: A Pilgrimage (Anthem Travel Classics)
By Blanchard Jerrold

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Product Description

London: A Pilgrimage was conceived in 1868 by the journalist and playwright Blanchard Jerrold. Accompanied by the famous artist Gustave Doré, Jerrold prowled every corner of the heaving metropolis, sometimes with plain-clothes police for protection. In this enlightening work, the chaotic and gloomy past of a great city on the cusp of modern times is brought back to life. 180 incredible etchings by Gustave Doré escort Jerrold on his odyssey through the pulsating city, into the Lambeth gas works, seedy opium dens and grubby bathing houses; peering curiously into the desperate lives of the flower sellers, lavender girls and organ grinders. London: A Pilgrimage is every bit a forgotten classic of social journalism, a frank and brutal look at the poverty stricken, gin-swilling London of the nineteenth century, written in a perceptive, bold and gripping style.

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #115585 in Books
  • Published on: 2005-09-01
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 280 pages

Editorial Reviews

Review

‘A little classic.’
Times Literary Supplement


'An historically fascinating and resonant piece of social history.'
Laurence Phelan, Independent


‘An astonishing and beautiful book. Compulsory reading for every Londoner.’
Nicola Barr, Guardian

Review

‘A little classic.’
Times Literary Supplement


'An historically fascinating and resonant piece of social history.'
Laurence Phelan, Independent


‘An astonishing and beautiful book. Compulsory reading for every Londoner.’
Nicola Barr, Guardian

NiThe Independent
'A historically fascinating and still resonant piece of social history.'

Customer Reviews

Illustrations and writing of Dickensian London4
Dore was a reknowned illustrator from the age of just 14 years. To produce this book he was given the then princely sum of £10 000.00 - a fortune in those days. For this he had to work for 3 months a year to produce this book of drawings taken from life around London.

It depicts poverty and misery partly brought on by the hoardes of babies and children that were the norm in those times. Though it is not really so long ago times have changed dramatically - thank goodness they have and the bleak settings shown have disappeared for good.

Shocking insights into the poor houses where a cold shower was required before entering. Dank and dark hovels where opium was smoked through a long pipe to pass unhappy hours. The huge vats of fermenting beer with numerous workers wading through waist high would be enough to put you off a pint.

On the other side, he depicts the idle rich, at the opera, strolling through the parks in the latest fashions. The writing is particularly poetic and beautiful.

This is a great book to browse through and/or to hone up on Londons history but most of all to admire the genius of Dore, who despite never having a single art lesson was the most acclaimed illustrator of his day. Not really known or appreciated now, but if you haven't seen his painting of Andromeda escaping from the sea monster, do have a look, he really was one of the great romantics of that era.

Re the changes that have happened since the book was produced we should all appreciate hot running water, clean living spaces, shoes and most of all reliable contraception.

A Beautiful and Fascinating Book5
This is a fascinating book for those interested in the history of London. First published in 1872 this book was written by the journalist Blanchard Jerrold and profusely illustrated by the artist Gustave Dore. Based on a number of trips to different parts of the capital the various chapters cover entertainment, the parks, the East and West End, the markets, the boat race, etc., and all contain the superb drawings that made Dore so famous. The book is not a history and does not attempt to be a comprehensive guide, rather it is a series of contemporary commentaries written in a lively, exciting and entertaining style, of different aspects of the London scene. Attempts have been made to adopt this book into the socialist cannon of worthy studies of London's underclass. However, Jerrold encountered varied aspects of London life and did not set out to specifically write an expose of the conditions of the poor. Some knowledge of London is required to get the best from this work, and I would suggest, that the greater the knowledge the greater the pleasure will be. A beautiful and fascinating book. The companion volume of larger format Dore prints published by Dover is well worth the extra investment.

Used books5
Description of the quality of the product was very accurate, well pleased with the purchase