Hardback by Picador, £18.99 (ebook £7.19)
London is a kaleidoscopic, ever-changing city as more and more people make it home. Ben Judah, an acclaimed foreign correspondent hailing from the capital, does an exceptional job exploring the lives of those arriving looking for a better life, immersing himself in their world.
From cold, hungover mornings at Victoria Station, the capital’s Ellis Island, to sleeping rough with Romanian beggars in a subway at Hyde Park Corner, the writer goes above and beyond to tell the stories of London’s seen but unheard.
The book is a wonderfully-written, fascinating account of modern-day life, offering a glimpse of the world from those arriving in the city hoping for a better life. The overriding assessment is negative, whether it be the disillusioned Nigerian police officer claiming “the English are vanishing” or the Roma gypsy bemoaning the deceptive images on television.
It is, though, a thought-provoking look at London’s underbelly, with one subject telling the author: “London can crush you or London can transform you.” The book lacks a look at the transformative effect life in the city can have, but this is an important, detailed read on the stories of those often unheard.
