Dr. Johnson's London by Liza Picard

In this interesting non-fiction read, Picard not only shows us around London from 1740-70, she also tells us what life was like for people during that time: from clothing and the gin craze, to marriage and education, and everything in between. There's four sections: The Place, The Poor, The Middling Sort, and The Rich which covers the city and each level of its inhabitants, while the appendix fills us in on Cost of Living, Currency and Prices. Definitely not a book to miss if you're like me and like a bit of background on the novels you're reading, or if you are like Picard and "enjoy the practicalities of ordinary life," or both. A book that is a great addition to any 18th century bookshelf. I give Dr. Johnson's London 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.