London Voices, London Lives: by Peter Hall

£24.99 + P&P | Add to Basket

London Voices, London Lives is unique: ordinary Londoners, in their own voices, tell about ordinary London lives. Interviews with over a hundred people in eight localities, from inner-city Battersea, to suburban Heston, to Greenhithe on the London fringe, have been edited with the linking commentary by Professor Sir Peter Hall.

The first half, London Voices, introduces the characters- their hope and aspirations, their frustrations and struggles, their determination and optimism. The secong, London Lives, introduces the themes that dominate their everyday lives: the struggle to keep their heads above water, the search for a place to live, the hassle of the journey to work, their friends and neighbours, their concerns about crime, and the quality of their everyday lives.

This not only an extraordinary social record but also a compelling read for anyone and everyone interested in today’s London, or in any other great global city. It will provide information for future historians on one of the worlds greatest cities and be of special academic of professional interest to sociologists, anthropologists, geographers, planners and social policy makers

Peter Hall is Professor of Planning and Regeneration at the Bartlett Schools of Architecture and Planning, University College London. Author, co-author or editor of over 35 books on urban and regional planning and related topics, he received the Gold Medal of the Royal Town Planning Institute in 2003 and the Balzan International Prize in 2005.

"This is a fascinating read. Hall's interviews illustrate the enormous diversity of people and perspectives that make London what it is, and the amazing capacity of Londoners to deal with the constant evolution upon which our city thrives." Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London.