Peter Ackroyd Colours of London : A History Hardback Book

Celebrated novelist, biographer and critic Peter Ackroyd paints a vivid picture of one of the worlds greatest cities in this brilliant and original work, exploring how the citys many hues have come to shape its history and identity. Think of the colours of London and what do you imagine? The reds of opentop busesand terracotta bricks? The grey smog of Victorian industry, Portland stoneand pigeons in Trafalgar square? Or the gradations ofyellows, violets and blues that shimmer on the Thames at sunset reflecting the incandescent light of a city that never truly goes dark?Weassociate green with royal parks and the District Linegold with royal carriages, the Golden Lane Estate, and the tops of monuments and cathedrals. Colours of London shows us that colour is everywhere in the city, and each one holds myriad links to its past. The colours of London have inspired artists (Whistler, Van Gogh, Turner, Monet), designers (Harry Beck) and social reformers (Charles Booth). And from the citys first origins, Ackroyd shows how colour is always to be found at the heart of Londons history, from the blazing reds of the Great Fire of London to the blackouts of the Blitz to the bold colours of royal celebrations and vibrant street life. This beautifully written book examines the citys fascinating relationship with colour, alongside specially commissioned colourised photographs fromDynamichrome, which bring a lost London back to life. London has been the main character in Ackroyds workever... | Peter Ackroyd Colours of London : A History Hardback Book