The bemusement of foreign visitors, the joys and horrors of London buses and the London Underground, the sprawl of the suburbs and the excitement of the City, all add to the dazzling panorama. There could be no better introduction, and no better tribute to this fascinating city than The Oxford Book of London.

This is a unique anthology. Drawing on the full range of English prose, wherever it has been written, it illustrates the growth, development, and resources of the language from the legends of Sir Thomas Malory to the novels of Kashuo Ishiguro. In the process it reveals a variety ofachievements which no other language can match. The book represents an enormous diversity of men and women - from John Bunyan to John Updike, from Brendan Behan to Chinua Achebe, from Dorothy Wordsworth to Patrick White. As the centuries progress, American writers increase their presence, and by the twentieth century there are contributions fromIndia, Australia, Canada, Nigeria, the Caribbean and many other parts of the world. The selection is no less remarkable for its breadth in terms of subject-matter and treatment. Fiction is generously represented, but many other kinds of writing have also been drawn on: letters, diaries, and memoirs; history and philosophy; criticism and reportage; sermons and satire; travel-books;reflections on art, science, politics and sport. There are classic and well-loved passages, and also a great deal that is unfamiliar. John Gross has chosen with consummate skill to produce a volume that is both a testimonial to English prose and an endless source of pleasurable browsing.

Anthology of about 600 poems from more than 200 twentieth century English poets.

An unparalleled introduction to the parodist's art, The Oxford Book of Parodies includes parodies from Chaucer to the present day, ranging from imitations and spoofs to lampoons and pastiches, comical, scornful, witty, and subtle. It also takes in advertisements, legal rituals, political warfare and a scientific hoax.

A collection of classic science fiction short stories features tales by H. G. Wells, Arthur C. Clark, Frederik Pohl, Clifford Simak, Brian Aldiss, Ursala K. LeGuin, and many others. Edited by the author of The Road to Middle-Earth. 20,000 first printing.

For London lovers of all stripes, National Geographic London Book of Lists chronicles this ever-changing city from its ancient Roman origins to the present day. Organized with a minimum of organization, the 140 lists in this eclectic and hugely entertaining illustrated compendium cover the city’s best, worst, highest, smallest, first, last, and everything in-between. Among the many intriguing facts, stats, and snippets, you’ll discover: · Where you can find six old windmills within the confines of metropolitan London · Why the women’s restroom at an East End pub is especially popular with avant-garde artists · When a tornado razed nearly 600 houses and destroyed London Bridge · The address of the only London flat where the four members of the Beatles lived together · Why local children beat the stone boundaries outside the Tower of London with willow branches every three years · Where you can find London’s eight best waterfront pubs, seven greatest Victorian gin palaces, and ten most historic pubs · Which two famous London museums still show World War II bomb damage on their outer walls Royal palaces. Street markets. Stellar views. Cockney slang. Favorite meals of kings. Roman ruins. Secrets lost to time. With surprises on every page, National Geographic London Book of Lists takes you deep inside the city that never fails to fascinate.