London of To-Day: An Illustrated Handbook for the Season

Long before Fodor's and Frommer's began offering guides chock full of information on popular travel destinations, a wide range of travel guides catering to Americans traveling abroad were published in the nineteenth century. In this absorbing volume, Londoner Charles Eyre Pascoe offers a comprehensive guide for wealthy Americans traveling to London during the 1887 "season," with tips on everything from fashionable lodgings to the best London booksellers. Gems of observation include "England is unrivaled in producing the best umbrellas." and "before incurring much expense for a special dinner in London, it is best to consult a native diner-out, in whose judgment you may rely." Though London of To-Day provides a fascinating glimpse into a bygone era (and is as much a guide to social etiquette in late nineteenth-century London as it is a travel guide), it also provides great historical insight into London institutions that are still alive and well to this day, including the Epsom Derby and Liberty.