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Best of London in 7 Days: Recommended Reading & Viewing

London is overwhelmingly rich in history, art and culture. Any preliminary reading, viewing or listening you can do will help you get the most from your trip. For more information on any of these books, visit your favorite bookstore or check out amazon.com; for video information, go to imdb.com. Rick Steves guidebooks are available at our office in Edmonds and also on our website's Travel Store.

Recommended Reading

Non-Fiction

• A History of London — Stephen Inwood
• London: The Biography — Peter Ackroyd
• Elizabeth's London — Liza Picard
• Letters from London — Julian Barnes
• 84 Charing Cross Road; The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street — Helene Hanff
• Notes From A Small Island — Bill Bryson
• Secret London (walking tours) — Andrew Duncan

Fiction

• Pygmalion — George Bernard Shaw
• Oliver Twist — Charles Dickens
• The Jeeves series — P.G. Wodehouse
• A Study in Scarlet — Arthur Conan Doyle
• London — Edward Rutherford
• The Jupiter Myth — Lindsey Davis
• The Great Stink — Clare Clark
• Lucia in London — E.F. Benson
• Bridget Jones' Diary — Helen Fielding
• Confessions of a Shopaholic — Sophie Kinsella
• In the Presence of the Enemy — Elizabeth George
• Murder in Mayfair — Robert Barnard
• Rumpole of the Bailey — John Mortimer

General Europe

• Europe 101 — Rick Steves & Gene Openshaw. History and art overview for the traveler; humorous and easy to read.
• Innocents Abroad — Mark Twain. Humorous classic recounts an American group's 1867 "Grand Tour" through Europe and the Holy Land.
• Civilisation — Kenneth Clark
• Connections — James Burke

Rick Steves' Travel DVDs

For a fun, informative preview of your next tour destination, watch a DVD from our "Rick Steves' Europe" TV series! Our online Travel Store has 70 shows available on 12 DVDs (a generous five to eight shows per disc).c).

Films With a London Accent

Shakespeare in Love (1999) • A Man for All Seasons (1966) • Elizabeth (1998) • Elizabeth I (2005) • The Madness of King George (1994) • Howard's End (1992) • The Elephant Man (1980) • Waterloo Bridge (1940) • Passport to Pimlico (1949) • Mary Poppins (1964) • My Fair Lady (1964) • A Hard Day's Night (1964) • Blowup (1966) • Georgy Girl (1966) • To Sir, with Love (1967) • Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) • Notting Hill (1999) • Sliding Doors (1998) • A Fish Called Wanda (1988) • My Beautiful Launderette (1986) • Billy Elliot (2000) • Bend It Like Beckham (2003) • The Queen (2006) • Shaun of the Dead (2004) • V for Vendetta (2006) • A Little Princess (1995)

Mood Music

• Classical: Edward Elgar, Benjamin Britten, Vaughan Williams, Gilbert & Sullivan
• Folk: Fairport Convention, Silly Wizard, Battlefield Band, Steeleye Span
• Classic rock: Beatles, Rolling Stones, Kinks, Led Zeppelin, Who, Pink Floyd, Cream, Eric Clapton, David Bowie
• Punk & Pop: Clash, Sex Pistols, Police/Sting, Elvis Costello, Robbie Williams, Dido, James Blunt, Magic Numbers