You could spend your whole life reading books about London, set in London and written by Londoners and you'd still barely have scratched the surface. So we thought we'd make it a little easier for you, picking out the books we think are the very best.
You'll find fiction of all sorts, guidebooks, history, the arts from painting and sculpture to music and fashion, sport and a whole section of books just for children. These are the books we've enjoyed reading most, the books we've found most useful, the books that have been consistent bestsellers ever since they were published.
SPECIAL OFFER: The city's complex past has left layers of history to be uncovered, from its deepest foundations to its pinnacles amidst the pigeons. So, in Layers of London, we've divided the city up into five strata to help you find out more about the city, in fact and fiction, in whichever direction you care to look: underground, on the water, pavement, eyeline and skyline.
Our web banner was designed exclusively for Foyles by Salvatore Rubbino (copyright reserved). You can find more beautiful illustrations of London in his children's picture book, A Walk in London.