I have never just randomly done a book review before… but this book is freaking awesome! It was written by Edward Rutherfurd, copyrighted in 1997. It follows the lines of ten or so fictitious families, all the way from when London was a small Celtic fishing village, through the Roman conquest of Julius Caesar, past the Norman conquest and the building of the White tower, and then down through the ages to beyond WW2.

It is so well written, the characters are delightful, and it all takes place against the backdrop of two thousand years of real history. The author was Cambridge educated, and it shows.

You not only get a real sense of the history of London, the politics, the people, the lives of both rich and poor alike, but you even get the backstory on many of the words used today in England that most people in the world have at least heard, but know nothing of their origins.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough!!!