The Story of Greenwich - Hardcover

Clive Aslet is the editor of Country Life. He is the author of three previous books, the last, Anyone for England, published in 1997.

Though contemporary Britons have chosen Greenwich--the home of the Royal Observatory, which gives the world its time--as the site of the Millennium Dome, their forbears have inhabited the place for more than a thousand years: the story of Greenwich runs from the Roman Empire to the Atomic Age. This beautifully illustrated book is jam-packed with history--a trove of facts which Aslet has unobtrusively organized so that the reader can enjoy its fascination and see its pertinence to the present. (New Yorker)

A superb and beautifully illustrated account. (Nigel Nicholson The Guardian)

Tens of thousands of people will gather in Greenwich on Dec. 31, 1999, to observe the momentous occasion [of the new millennium] at the Prime Meridian, zero degrees longitude...And anyone headed for Greenwich would be well-advised to peruse The Story of Greenwich before leaving home...There is no denying that Greenwich has some of the finest architecture in England. But there is more to Greenwich--in the words of Aslet, much more...His tales of life in the taverns and inns mesh wonderfully with the stories of the nobility and royalty who saw Greenwich as a marvelous escape from crowded, demanding London upriver and built elaborate homes as retreats from the city...Aslet spins out all of this history with grace and style. The book is lavishly illustrated with portraits, illustrations and contemporary photographs, including an aerial shot of the Millennium Dome. (Jack Severson Philadelphia Inquirer)

A briskly written and lavishly illustrated history of the area. (Graham Boynton Conde Nast Traveler)

In a lavishly illustrated treatment, Aslet magnificently brings to life the rich history of Greenwich, England. Americans know the city as the site of the Royal Observatory, which sets time for the world. Aslet reveals it as much more...Though Aslet's story is largely of buildings, he weaves into the narrative the story of the people who have lived in them through the centuries: from Chaucer to Samuel Pepys, as well as celebrated mathematician Sir Jonas Moore and Astronomer Royal John Flamsteed...A congenial, absorbing tour through time of an immensely interesting old town. (Kirkus Reviews)

Aside from its duties as the world's timekeeper, Greenwich is a city imbued with history and culture, all of which are captured in Clive Aslet's The Story of Greenwich. Aslet discusses the city's mysterious temple from Roman times as well as today's Millennium Dome--and everything in between. (Publisher's Weekly)