I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
The book has a broad view of the history of London. It hits on major events that happened, ending with Covid 19. If you want a collected history of the city to introduce you to the topic, this is a good book to do that.

As someone who spent three years in London and has returned many times, it is my favourite city in the world. But it is not the city that I recall. In fact, the last time I was there, there had been so much change, it was no longer the familiar old shoe it had been for decades. This book is a testament to the fact that my experience has been shared probably by millions of people since the city was first founded by the Romans.

The book is a bit like a leisurely stroll through The Museum of London. In our journey we see the things that changed, shaped and created modern London. With all the new changes in the 50 years I have loved London, I can only imagine what a time traveller might think- moving in either direction. I have read many histories of the great city and this one is a welcome addition, neither too ponderous nor too shallow. It flows nicely, like the river Thames does now. Populated with many of the key personalities who influenced the continuing transformations.

Well done. Five purrs and two paws up.

A history that focuses on the square mile or so that comprises the center of government but also retail, entertainment and many other facets of London. The major and some of the lesser known but entertaining and interesting events are covered here as well as the rich, the glamorous, the criminals and the ordinary people.

A lot of this I have read before (but then I have read a lot of histories about London so it isn't a surprise) but there was some new stuff and stuff I just forgot. It tried to focus a bit more on the ordinary people who would have seen the major events that shaped London than just the famous names.

An easy read but with enough detail to satisfy those interested in knitty-gritty.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. This book delves into the history of London when it first came to be all the way to now. I learned some interesting facts along the way. A good book to pick up if interested in learning about London.

A good travel guide based on history. It made me wish I could visit the places now and I enjoyed it.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

A really interesting guide that really made me look at London with new eyes. I loved learning all the new facts and rehashing some the facts that I already new. It has made me want to visit some areas of london and look with new eyes.

The good, the bad, and the ugly of London are all present in this long-view history of a great city not without its faults!

I adore London and was reminded here both of the things I love about it as well as its imperfections. The writing style was a bit dry/academic for me--it's not one to flip through on a rainy afternoon or as a guidebook, per se--but students of the city or those looking to research elements of its history will find quite a resource here. I think it would have been more successful--and maybe the final copy will reflect this--if the pictures had been incorporated throughout the read, not just presented (in black-and-white!) at the end.

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

In The Making of London, Brandon and Brooke take the reader to London through the ages, from its time as the Roman city Londinium to its rise to greatness during the Renaissance, the Great Fire of 1666, the modern metropolis under Queen Victoria, and the silent city during the COVID-19 pandemic. Brandon and Brooke divide each chapter into relevant historical eras and discuss key facets of London life and society within that socio-historical context. As they bring London into the modern era, Brandon and Brooke note similar themes and events across the periods, from urban construction and development on the Thames, the pitfalls of industrialization, and the mass migration of people in and out of the city. Brooke and Brandon paint complete pictures of London throughout the text, illuminating what a Londoner could experience in 350 CE, 1100 CE, 1400 CE, 1700 CE, 1900 CE, and in the modern iteration of the city. They reference a variety of documents and materials in the text to replicate and describe the city as accurately as possible, and the text is very accessible, a good introduction to the city and its history. They divide each chapter into sections that focus on specific aspects of London life, from health and migration patterns to geography and entertainment, providing a dearth of information for the reader.

This was a fascinating short history of the city of London. It provides enough detail to tell a compelling story and provide new information to readers, but is brief enough to keep more casual readers from checking out too early. The tone is very light and pleasant, and doesn’t come across dry like so many similar works do.

A history of the changing and continuity of London. An informative and interesting style that made me feel as if a friend was telling me about the history of London.
A chatty writing style that's great to read and digest.

This hugely detailed tome is best approached as a reference book into the history of London, rather than trying to read in its entirety. Meticulously researched, giving you everything you need to know before visiting.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book!
Giving this book 3 stars- it's a great read for someone who will be traveling to London and wants some background on what they will see and do, or for anyone who wants a short history on the city without jumping into thousands of pages of reading. It's very fast and easy to read and it would be easy to skim through and pick and choose the sections you're interested in reading about.
The writing style itself isn't all that great- I found myself thinking I was reading a Wikipedia article quite a few times. It gives the facts and a few flourishing opinions, but clearly is not a academic monograph on the city. It reads very much like a guide/souvenir book, so long as you know that going into it, it's enjoyable.

A very interesting book on londons history.Well written and researched.A real page turner.I would thoroughly recommend this book to everyone who likes English history.

This is a fascinating look at some of London's most defining moments and people. I liked learning more about how every day people lived in the city over the centuries. We always learn about royalty but not the everyman. I can't imagine shops ON London Bridge. Very intriguing.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

The Making of London stretches back to the early days of London civilisation and travels on a journey through the people and events that shaped the London we have today.

I have always loved visiting and learning about London but all the historical fiction I previously had was acquired in snippets, and I would have to piece it all together like a jigsaw to gain a real sense of what made London the way it is. But Alan Brooke and David Brandon have packed such a rich and comprehensive introduction to all of London's history, from the Romans to the Blitz to the COVID-19 pandemic.

After reading this book, I feel so enlightened and enriched by the unique and fascinating history of this world-famous and iconic city.

I received a free copy of, The Making of London, by David Brandon, Alan Brooke, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book starts 2,000 years ago in London, Roman time, through Victorian time, to know. London has such a rich and diverse history. An enjoyable read, so much I did not know about London.

Adds a few bits of history to the already known facts. Nothing outstanding, but a nice coffee table read.

The Making of London is a book about the city from the Roman beginnings of Londinum till the pandemic. It deals with social life, architecture, transport, public health and many more. The stories are interesting but often quite detailed and even same-ish during the various chapters. The modern history was more exciting than the older one, though it was often a bit too dense and too many numbers. I liked the pictures at the end of the book, but think they should have been put in between the text according to the right chapters.
Thanks to Pen & Sword and Netgalley for a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

When I was Younger I Went to London for a day or two, This Book has Brought me Back So Many Memories, Highly Recommended!
(Thanks to Net Galley for this Wonderful Book).

3 stars.

The information presented in the book was exactly what I was looking for and expected. It told the story of how people actually lived during the time, not a sequence of wars and monarchs. But the book was poorly structured and hard to read. It was repetitive. Jumping back and forth in time. If it was better structured and would omit all the redundancies, it would allow for more detail if the authors wished, or just a shorter, more enjoyable read.

It wasn’t a waste of time, but I can’t recommend this book. It does give you a nice overview of life in London if you have the determination to plow through.