London was an important hub for authors and publishers of the classics and it’s hard to not daydream just a bit when walking around the same streets as Dickens and Conan Doyle. The city is still a vibrant center for publishing, reviewing, and of course, bookshops.
These homes have been saved by a stalwart group of enthusiasts, and are run by a small staff, and determined volunteers. I find the ability to immerse myself in a more specific setting more enjoyable and less overwhelming.
This trip to London included some very particular stops to see some much beloved authors.
I made a list of the weird, out-of-the-way places I wanted to see — old cemeteries, odd house museums, unusual bookstores, hidden architecture spots — and began to draw up my plans.
A cemetery plot could be considered one’s last, best piece of real estate so an impressive address was in demand. Set along a slope overlooking London proper, Highgate Cemetery was a quiet but imposing reminder of mortality.