soledad penadés

This book looked promising in the bookshop, and I was anticipating many joyful walks looking at these beautiful buildings...

... but it didn't quite work like that for me.

You see, the book is sorted by 'ages' or time periods, such as Seventeenth century, Georgian, etc. Each chapter lists out some of the most prominent buildings of that time, and details about them such as the plan, architect, interesting features, age of construction, relevant occupiers...

That's all great if a bit shallow (but this is a pocket book so it cannot go into THE DEEPEST detail). The problem is that if you wanted to, say, look at all the Georgian buildings, you'd be facing a walk from Regent's Park all the way down to Victoria's Smith Square and then back up right towards the Royal Exchange in Threadneedle street. Could you do it in one day? Maybe. But would you do it? Probably not. A cursory search gives me 10.5km of distance (and that's just going point to point, without stopping to look and find each of the buildings). A lot of walking for very little information.

As a pocket book, it is missing on the biggest trick, which would be to have mapped interesting buildings in a given area, and thus provide area maps, so that you can visit the buildings by walking to them, while carrying the book with you, and appreciate their features in situ, rather than with a simplified drawing in the book.

And as an informational book, as I said, it is interesting, but it is shallow, for obvious space reasons. So it doesn't excel in either. A disappointment, to be honest. And all it needed was a few extra maps!

To the editors of any future version that take into account my suggestion: you're welcome. I appreciate mentions in the book, or alternatively you can literally manifest your gratitude with money.