Discover our top ten reading suggestions at The Beaumont.
A distinctive feature of the hotel, all the books in The Beaumont's bedrooms and suite sitting rooms were selected especially for the hotel from the shelves of iconic Mayfair bookshop Heywood Hill. The selection focuses on diaries, anthologies, memoirs and biographies, all easy to read and dip into without the frustration of not having the time to finish them. Each room at the hotel gets a selection of currently published books enhanced by second hand favourites in the same genre.
1. 'Citizens of London' by Lynne
Olson
"This book was a great influence on the imaginary history of The
Beaumont as it charts the history of America's entry into the war
thanks to the proselytising of Ambassador Gil Winant, Averell
Harriman and legendary broadcaster Ed Murrow. Sadly out of print in
hardback even in the States it is a truly edifying work which
deserves greater exposure. It is only a matter of time before Gil
Winant will be celebrated for the visionary and extraordinary man
he was."
2. 'Letters of Note: Correspondence deserving a
better audience' by Shaun Usher
"A collection of 125 of the world's most
entertaining, inspiring and unusual letters. The perfect hotel
companion as even five minutes reading is memorable."
3. 'The Ape has stabbed me: a cocktail of
reminiscences' by Vincent Poklewski Koziell
"On a visit to the hotel, the author revealed a sparkle that
matched his book."
4. Darling Monster: The Letters of Lady Diana Cooper
to her Son John Julius Norwich 1939-1952
"Lady Diana Cooper was an aristocrat, society darling, an actress
of stage and early screen. When she married rising political star
Duff Cooper, they became the golden couple who knew everyone who
was anyone; they sat at the very heart of British public life.
Diana's letters to her only son, John Julius Norwich, cover the
period 1939 to 1952."
5. 'Flappers: Six women of a dangerous
generation' by Judith Mackrell
"This choice was an obvious one for the hotel. Glamourized,
mythologized and demonized - the women of the 1920s prefigured the
1960s in their determination to reinvent the way they lived."
6. 'London Stories': edited by Jerry
White
London has the greatest literary tradition of any city in the
world. Its roll-call of story-tellers includes cultural giants who
changed the way the world thought about writing, like Shakespeare,
Defoe and Dickens. But there has also been an innumerable host of
writers who have sought to capture the essence of London and what
it meant for the people who lived there or were merely passing
through. Authors include many favourites: Thomas de Quincey, W. M.
Thackeray, J. B. Priestley, Graham Greene, Maeve Binchy, Doris
Lessing and Hanif Kureishi.
7. 'An Exuberant Catalogue of Dreams' by Clive
Aslet
"This book because it embodies so much of the imaginary history of
The Beaumont and how much Britain owes to America for not only its
critical involvement in World War II but also because even our
great country homes often owe their continued existence to American
citizens too. Clive Aslet's magnificent book reveals the extent of
this remarkable phenomenon, covering eighteen Americans and their
houses."
8. 'Great Houses of London' by James
Stourton
"The great houses of London embody the marvels of English
architecture and yet they are almost entirely unknown. They are for
the most part disguised behind sober facades but their riches
within are astonishing."
9. 'The London Encyclopaedia' by Ben
Weinreb
"This book rewards every casual opening. The London Encyclopaedia
is the most comprehensive book on London ever published, containing
everything of relevance to the history, culture, commerce and
government of the capital."
10. 'Lost London 1870-1945' by Philip
Davies
"No harm in dwelling in the period within which The Beaumont's
genesis is placed (1926). 250 rare photographs of London's past
show people, their homes, offices and shops in pin-sharp
detail."
