The Thames Book

The Thames, Englandâ??s greatest river—for centuries an aid to trade, a stalwart of national defense, a stage for some of Englandâ??s greatest historical events, an inspiration to some of Englandâ??s best poets and artists, a challenge to engineers. Yet while there is a constancy in the history of the river, there is also change. The Thames charts the diverse meanings of the river over the course of millennia, from prehistoric to modern times.
From the elephants on the bank of the prehistoric river to Caesarâ??s expeditionary force; from King Alfredâ??s battleships to the signing of Magna Carta; from the riverâ??s role in both the coronation and execution of Anne Boleyn to seventeenth-century frost fairs and the first performance of Handelâ??s `Water Musicâ??; from Turnerâ??s view of the river as arcadia through its bombardment during the Blitz, The Thames provides an intimate portrait of the waterway at the heart of English history.
Blending elegant prose with historical detail, this exceptional book superbly brings to life the river Winston Churchill once vividly described as “a golden thread in the national tapestry.â?