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The Groundwater Diaries: Trials, Tributaries and Tall Stories from Beneath the Streets of London

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The Groundwater Diaries: Trials, Tributaries and Tall Stories from Beneath the Streets of London [Paperback]

Tim Bradford (Author)

2.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)

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Product details

Paperback: 470 pages
Publisher: Flamingo; illustrated edition edition (2 Jun 2003)
Language English
ISBN-10: 0007130848
ISBN-13: 978-0007130849
Product Dimensions: 20.6 x 14.8 x 3.8 cm

Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)

Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,327,962 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Product Description

Review

‘Very funny, fascinating, convincing and engaging. Read in small bursts THE GOUNDWATER DIARIES have the wit, energy and attitude of punk music itself which was not without serious cultural importance and even occasional beauty.’ Independent on Sunday

‘Bradford can see the serious in the inconsequential and vice versa. He comes across as the kind of guy you’d love to have a drink or three with.’ Glasgow Herald

praise for Tim’s first book:
'This is an absolute must for anyone who's ever indulged even a moment of romantic yearning for all things Hibernian. Like some latter day Kerouac, Tim Bradford drives around the Emerald Isle in search of captivating wild women, poetry, folk songs and of course, the odd pint or two. He meets Europe's spottiest hitcher and drives along Ireland's worst road; he gives a bluffer's guide to being Irish for those who aren't and provides an essential map of the land showing the distribution of conversational topics including house prices, moving statues and condom availability. Hilarious.' Scotsman

Glasgow Herald

'An endearing eccentric's humane look on life, delivered with a rapier wit.' --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Customer Reviews

8 Reviews

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

Average Customer Review

2.9 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Erudite pub chat spiced with narrative wit, 3 July 2003

"stevenhill65" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Groundwater Diaries: Trials, Tributaries and Tall Stories from Beneath the Streets of London (Paperback)

Tim Bradford seems the sort of bloke you'd sit down with in the pub for a quiet pint, but end up having a mammoth beer session with instead, and a good laugh too. Although this is a hugely informative book about London's hidden rivers, it thankfully shuns the customary po-faced format of history texts and laces it instead with tales of lost Danish punk bands, elusive hardline feminist river walkers, water-hexed football stadia and much (maybe too much judging by some of the author's off-theme theories) extra strength lager as a dowsing tool.
But its real strength, on top of the excellent cartoons and etchings that break up the words, lies in its depiction of latter-day London. As Bradford wanders the streets on rainy days looking for glimpses of long forgotten ditches, he bumps into all kinds of bums, dropouts and drinkers that are as much a part of the capital's hidden fabric as the streams of yore he professes to be seeking.
For me, this book combined the perfect reading experience - laughter and learning.

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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not as expected but good all the same., 26 Aug 2003

L. Button "leebutton" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Groundwater Diaries: Trials, Tributaries and Tall Stories from Beneath the Streets of London (Paperback)

When I ordered this book I fully expected a slightly left wing approach to the subject. It was more left wing than I had expected though. It is interesting and informative but leaves some of the detail out ie specific locations and cold hard facts. There is too much personal opinion and guess work. It is still very interesting and for lovers of London and primarily an interest in the lost rivers still a very enjoyable read. The author does write with affection of the subject, and the personalities and buildings within. Plenty of humour and observations of life but a little too many drug and drink references for my liking.

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9 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars This book is not what it seems, 12 May 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Groundwater Diaries: Trials, Tributaries and Tall Stories from Beneath the Streets of London (Paperback)

If you come to this book hoping to learn about the underground rivers in London, you will be disappointed. The facts are spread very thin. If you were hoping for puerile -- often lavatory -- humour, then you may like it. The writer clearly thinks he is funny, but he has neither the wry humour of Bill Bryson nor his human insight -- into others, or himself. The digressions are of a scale with Tristram Shandy, but this is no Sterne, alas. Not informative, not funny, not recommended (by me, at least).

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars Scraping the Barrel
Tim Bradford is clearly under the impression that if he lards his text with profanities, it will be very amusing. I wish. Read more

Published 9 months ago by Ms. Fiona Allen

3.0 out of 5 stars Promised much delivered little !!
Sounds interesting i thought , always looking for a good book to read , but having dragged myself through it i was left totally underwhelmed ! Read more

Published on 19 Nov 2005 by Roger J. Markham

5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious, Inventive, Surprising and True
This is a marvellous read - the humour is sharp, the observations perceptive, the wealth of information breath-taking. Read more

Published on 1 Jun 2005 by D. Smith

1.0 out of 5 stars No, no, no!
This really was a waste of money - it wasn't educational (as it promised to be from readng the cover) and it wasn't funny. Read more

Published on 7 Oct 2004 by Phil The Bear

3.0 out of 5 stars Too blokey jokey
Bradford tries to do a Hornby crossed with Bryson, but his personality, sense of humour and record collection just aren't in the same league. He can draw, though. Read more

Published on 19 May 2003

› See all 8 customer reviews on Amazon.co.uk

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