Leadville

By Edward Platt,

Book cover of Leadville: A Biography of the A40

Book description

"One afternoon in January 1995, as I drove along Western Avenue, I did what I had never done before: i parked the car in a side-street and walked on to the road..."

In Leadville, Ed Platt tells the story of Western Avenue from the optimism of its construction in the…


Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Why read it?

1 author picked Leadville as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Platt calls this ‘a biography of the A40’ and it is about the road that most people coming and going between London and Oxfordshire drive along without looking. The suburban houses that line it, many scheduled for demolition, some empty and some squatted, intrigued Platt and he began visiting them, talking to the inhabitants and finding out how they became stranded in this hinterland. Their accounts are funny, poignant and sometimes astonishing.  The A40 tells a story about the history of London and the visions and failures of urban planning in the 20th century.

Want books like Leadville?

Our community of 11,000+ authors has personally recommended 88 books like Leadville.

Browse books like Leadville

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in London, presidential biography, and murder?

11,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about London, presidential biography, and murder.

London Explore 809 books about London
Presidential Biography Explore 19 books about presidential biography
Murder Explore 957 books about murder