Few, if any, cities have a literary history as rich as that of London. Writers have written about it; and lived, loved, stayed and died there. In this guide, there are 111 stories to be revealed. Among them are the lives of writers and their characters, and the plots and venue. Where can you see the first printed book in the western world, or visit the library with no books? Where did two poets marry secretly and then flee to Italy; and what happened when Sigmund Freud met Salvador Dali?

Terry Philpot was born within the sound of Bow Bells (which are not in the East End). He is a writer and award-winning journalist. He has written and edited more than 20 books ranging from from social history to social policy. He has contributed to The Times, The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph and other publications. He is author of 25 entries for the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.