It gives an excellent idea of how London developed over the years starting with London Bridge and ending with the resurrected Midland Grand Hotel (now The St Pancras Renaissance.) It traces London's development from a village to today's megalopolis. Each chapter takes a significant place or person and weaves them into the fabric of London's history. Written in a flamboyant easy to read style, energetic like Boris Johnson is.

The People Who Made the City that Made the World

Boris Johnson writes well and his love for London shines throughout the book, which makes it a pleasure to read. If, however, you are looking for a comprehensive history of London, this isn't the book for you. Mr. Johnson writes about some people, and some inventions, on the basis (it seems) of what catches his fancy. Some chapters are more interesting, and accurate, than others. ( )

Boris Johnson, the wild haired cycling Mayor of London, wears his heart on his sleeve in this book, proclaiming London as the premier world city, leading and excelling in literature, governance, social reform, finance, art and science. He makes a strong case with wonderful biographical sketches of well-known (e.g. William the Conqueror, Shakespeare, Turner) and less well-known Londoners (Hooke, Wilkes, Rothschild).
He surprised me by taking Churchill down a peg or two. If you've heard Boris Johnson speak -100% enthusiasm, and great dose of wit and intellect- you know what to expect from this book. ( )

A history of London through people (some well known, others should be better known) and things London is famous for.

You know where Boris Johnson stands on the matter of London - he considers it the greatest city ever - and he isn't afraid to state it. In a crazy way it is both pretentious (the boasting of London) and unpretentious (he knows where he stands on issues and isn't afraid to state it)

I found these vignettes of London's history interesting, entertaining and enjoyable. I don't think the book pretends to be anything else and sometimes that is what you want in a book ( )