29 Nov 2017

Schools and library liaison Ann Le Lievre shares the books she’s hoping to get stuck into over summer.

I spent four weeks in London earlier this year and it was a life-changing experience. It was my first overseas trip for a very long time, and the simple act of walking the city streets brought me into contact with views of the landscape, buildings and history in ways that I cannot begin to explain. My summer reading stack is inspired by this experience.

London: The Concise Biography by Peter Ackroyd

For a ‘concise’ history of London this paperback edition runs at over 650 pages… Yet, however daunting this may seem, I know I’m in good hands. Ackroyd’s writing style is engaging – he brings London to life across all the significant moments in its history. The periods I’m most looking forward to reading about are Londinium (Roman London), the Great Fire of London in 1666 and London after the Blitz.

Parthenon Sculptures by Ian Jenkins with photographs by Ivor Kerslake & Dudley Hubbard

A visit to the British Museum left me breathless, particularly standing in the gallery alongside the Elgin Marbles in all their quiet, ethereal beauty. This book is a photographic extravaganza. The author, Ian Jenkins, is Senior Curator of the ancient Greek Collection at the British Museum – who wouldn’t love that job?

How to Read London: A crash course in London Architecture by Chris Rogers

This is such a super pocket-sized book and it proved an essential accompaniment on my every walk through London. I’m still reading my way through it now and thoroughly enjoying learning about London’s built environment.

The London Review of Books literary journal

This literary journal is published fortnightly and is available at our Carlton, St Kilda and Hawthorn shops. It is a wonderful way of engaging with issues across the fields of literature, history, philopsophy and the arts. Every single issue makes me think deeply on topics.

Designing the V&A: The Museum as a Work of Art (1857-1909) by Julius Bryant

The Victoria and Albert Museum is astonishing to experience, even before setting foot inside as the exterior is embellished with sculpture, mosaics, colour and movement. I want to learn more about its design, and this beautiful monograph seems the perfect way to do so, described as ‘the first to consider the V&A as a work of art in itself’. The author, Julius Bryant, is Keeper of Word and Image at the V&A – another dream job!