A Visitor's Guide to Shakespeare's London

By David Thomas

A fresh and colourful look at Shakespeare’s London published on the 400th anniversary of the playwright’s death. Readers can explore the streets of Shakespeare’s London and see the sights he saw, while learning how people ate, drank, misbehaved and had fun.

You will discover what it was like to be a tourist in the sixteenth century from the voices of people who came to London during Shakespeare’s day. You will travel with them to the major tourist sights and will learn how to get about, where to stay and what to eat and drink. You will visit the royal palaces, London’s famous gardens, the Tower of London and Old St Paul’s Cathedral. You will discover the pleasure of London’s theatres, the sports people played and the shopping they enjoyed. As now, London was famous as a shopping destination. But beware, London is full of people who will pick your pockets or trick you out of your money and you are constantly at risk from the plague or even the polluted water supply.

Most of the London Shakespeare knew has been destroyed by fire, war and developers, but a surprising number of buildings and places which he knew still survive. The book contains guided tours which show you to sample the atmosphere and see the sights which Tudor tourists enjoyed.

This title will appeal to Shakespeare lovers, social history fans, fiction and drama lovers, students and anyone with an interest in this fascinating era of London’s history.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pen and Sword
• Release date: Jun 30, 2016
• ISBN: 9781473881525

David Thomas

David Thomas, LMSW, is the counseling director for men and boys at Daystar. A popular speaker and the coauthor of five books, he is a frequent guest on national television and radio, and a regular contributor to ParentLife magazine. David and his wife, Connie, have a daughter and twin sons

Reviews for A Visitor's Guide to Shakespeare's London

[atticusfinch1048 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A Visitor’s Guide to: Shakespeare’s London.David Thomas’ published Shakespeare’s London to coincide with the 400 anniversary since his death, to allow readers and tourists the opportunity to follow in his footsteps. What makes this book so interesting, is that it has not been written just for those who love Shakespeare’s works, but those who are interested in the social history of London as well as those who have an interest in Elizabethan era.What becomes clear throughout the text is that Shakespeare’s London, though thoroughly modern then, was still very much a medieval city, whose water supply was terrible and would remain so for centuries after. At the same time, London was often overwhelmed by outbreaks of diseases as well as the plague, and medicine at best was rudimentary. The people of London loved their sports, especially those of the barbaric variety, such as bear baiting, cock fighting and if really bored go along to a public execution, hanging or beheading as well as burning, plenty to choose from.David Thomas takes the reader and the tourist by the hand, by first of all he helps you to get your bearings, so that you are able to find the places of interest. Addressed to the reader as if in the time of Shakespeare, he does advise to visit London in winter when it much healthier especially as the plague does not rear its head until the summer months, I will bear that in mind next time I get off the train at Euston.Taking us eating, drinking and shopping we are advised that breakfast is being a small meal, many people did not bother with, as now, and not served at court at all. Well one thing that would confuse the modern tourist is that in Shakespearean London, the main meal of the day was served at 11am, but only if you were a nobleman, gentleman or a scholar. For us peasants, sorry tourists, we could eat at midday. All Lords and gentleman had supper at 5pm with once again us mere peasants would eat an hour later.As David Thomas guides us through London we are guided to where the best places to shop were and what items you would be able to purchase as well as street vendors and fairs. He also shows us what were considered the must-sees of the day along with other attractions that tourist would be interested in seeing. We are also show what was taken as entertainment of the day, especially music and dancing as well as the theatres of the time.One of the most interesting chapters in the book covers the buildings that have managed to survive the mists of time, the Great Fire, the blitz and worse town planners. There are a number of buildings that have managed to survive and they are listed and where known the time of the openings to the public.David Thomas has written an engaging book on Shakespeare’s London going back to his time and imagining the time for the reader. Being able to access some of the buildings today with an explanation of their history is excellent. This really is an engaging read, taking the reader back in time and brings them up to date.