Liverpool: A People's History

Liverpool is indisputably one of the greatest cities on earth. From its warm, tough, always-beating heart come people renowned for their friendliness, wit, resilience and strength of character. Throughout its long and surprisingly varied history Liverpool has engendered fierce loyalty from its citizens, and captivated even the most casual of visitors. This book traces the growth of the city from a little fishing village on the banks of the Mersey all the way from its foundation in 1207 to the proud European Capital of Culture 800 years later. Combining good historical research with a lively, fresh and highly accessible style, Peter Aughton describes every stage of Liverpool s remarkable town, its unprecedented growth as the major seaport for the world s first industrial society, its role in a mass history: from its origins as a tiny port in the tidal inlet known as the Liver Pool , to the horrors of the slave trade, the building of the world s first ever public railway, its brief spell in the eighteenth century as a fashionable spa emigration movement that saw perhaps as many as nine million souls depart from its quaysides for a better life in the New World, the devastation to docks, public buildings and houses caused during the terrible Blitz in 1941, the Mersey Sound which now draws thousands of visitors from around the world, right up to the recent renaissance of the town s fortunes which has culminated in the European Capital of Culture bid success. This is a truly fascinating story.

REVIEWS

"Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, United Kingdom along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880. It is the fourth most populous British city, and third most populous in England, with a 2011 population of 466,400 and is at the center of a wider urban area, the Liverpool City Region, which has a population of around 2 million people. Historically a part of Lancashire, the urbanization and expansion of Liverpool were both largely brought about by the city's status as a major port. By the 18th century, trade from the West Indies, Ireland and mainland Europe coupled with close links with the Atlantic Slave Trade furthered the economic expansion of Liverpool. By the early 19th century, 40% of the world's trade passed through Liverpool's docks, contributing to Liverpool's rise as a major city. Liverpool is also well known for its inventions and innovations, particularly in terms of infrastructure, transportation and general construction. Railways, ferries and the skyscraper were all pioneered in the city. Now in a newly updated and expanded third edition, "Liverpool: A People's History" by Peter Aughton is a 352 page, profusely illustrated compendium detailing the history of this iconic British city. Informed, informative, and highly recommended, "Liverpool: A People's History" is enhanced with the inclusion of a comprehensive list of Liverpool street names, copious notes and references, a list for further reading, and an index."
Midwest Book Review, 2013/04