10 November 2008 sees the publication of Medical London: City of Diseases, City of Cures, a major new undertaking from Strange Attractor Press, in association with Wellcome Collection.
Written by Richard Barnett and edited by SAJ contributor Mike Jay, Medical London comprises three distinct parts, all enclosed in a hardback cloth slipcase: Sick City, a book of essays outlining aspects of London’s medical history; Anatomy of the City, a beautifully illustrated full-colour gazetteer featuring London sites of medical interest; and six full-colour maps of suggested walking routes for those who wish to explore the city’s history for themselves.
Helmed by the acclaimed historian and author Mike Jay, the collection presents a unique melding of minds and talents. Richard Barnett’s essays and texts – wry, lucid and deeply informative – are already being compared to the work of Roy Porter and Peter Ackroyd, and are perfectly complimented by elegant presentation from the SAP team of Alison Hutchinson, Nadia Katz-Wise and Mark Pilkington.
As you’d expect from SAP, the collection is overflowing with fascinating tales and curious detail and of course, this being a medical history, plenty of blood and guts. We’ll have more information about Medical London, including guided walks and launch events, in the coming weeks.