Lavish, large format picture book about London, with Peter Ackroyd's inimitable text (taken from London: A Biography), new pictures and new captions. Divided into four parts: 1) In the beginning Roman and Medieval London, ending with the Black Death; 2) Red Contrasts the Great Fire of 1666 with the Blitz of 1944, and tells the story of both in gripping narrative; 3) Motley Theatrical London, including street fairs, street theatre, London as mob and crowd etc; 4) Black The industrial revolution, the London poor and homeless, London as centre of empire (including emigration), London prisons, huge expansion of the metropolis (including the London suburbs).