Life in London

By Pierce Egan,

Book cover of Life in London

Book description

Pierce Egan (1772-1849) was born near London and lived in the area his whole life. He was a famous sports reporter and writer on popular culture. His first book, Boxiana, was a collection of articles about boxing. It was a huge success and established Egan's reputation for wit and sporting…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

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

An exuberant serial novel by Regency sporting journalist Egan, illustrated by a young George Cruikshank (Dickens’ future artist). In it, three friends (based on the author, Cruikshank, and his younger brother Robert), document their ‘rambles and sprees through the metropolis’. It is a tale of dandies on safari written entirely in ‘flash’ slang, the language of the 19th-century underworld. The book was a publishing sensation, inspiring Dickens’ Pickwick Papers. I was introduced to this by my dear friend the late Professor Roger Sales many years ago, and it has been inspiring me ever since as a novelist and cultural historian.…

Want books like Life in London?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 92 books like Life in London.

Browse books like Life in London

Book cover of Paul Clifford: "The easiest person to deceive is one's self"
Book cover of Rookwood
Book cover of The Mysteries of London

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,354

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in London, satire, and presidential biography?

London 866 books
Satire 167 books