The Spirit of London

First published in 1935, this classic snapshot of London in the years before World War II glows with its Austrian author's affection for British life and customs—yet also abounds with critical insight.

Paul Cohen-Portheim, an Austrian traveler and writer, was interned in England during World War I, but his enforced stay made him fall in love with the country and, in particular, London. This is his interpretation of the irrepressible city. Exploring the London scene in a time when age-old traditions were stubbornly resisting the tides of modernism, Cohen-Portheim reflects on the enduring spirit embodied in the city's people, buildings, culture, and history. He ranges from “Town Streets and Their Life” to “Green London,” to the surprisingly liberal “London and the Foreigner.” The Spirit of London features the iconic Brian Cook cover illustration of Ludgate Circus and St Paul’s.