Liquid History: The Thames Through Time

Historian Croad (London's Bridges) shares almost 150 years of the Thames River's history in this oblong book containing 187 duotone illustrations. The b&w photos portray various Thames landscapes, from the rural stretch of the river near Walton on Thames (shown in an evocative shot by H. W. Taunt) to the Greenwich Peninsula, downstream from the City of London, with its very modern-looking Millennium Dome. Other images show people interacting with the river, such as S. W. Rawlings's 1950s picture of children frolicking at Tower Beach and Derek Kendal's 1997 shot of Hay's Galleria, a block of old warehouses that have been converted into posh shops, offices and apartments. Still other photographs portray the many vessels cruising the river, ranging from clipper ships to steamships. Croad's text is illuminating, but assumes readers have a minor knowledge of the Thames's geography.