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Mudlark: In Search of London's Past Along the River Thames
Mudlark: In Search of London's Past Along the River Thames | Lara Maiklem
21 posts | 10 read | 22 to read
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review
LibraryCin
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Mehso-so

I found some chapters more interesting than others – the one at Greenwich, which looked at some Tudor history (the Greenwich Castle was one of Henry VIII‘s favourite residences), along with animal bones and utensils found (and thus meals and utensils used during Tudor times). Oddly, the other chapter that held my interest more than others was the one of current day garbage. Cont in comments...

LibraryCin Overall, I‘m calling this one ok. I had hoped to like it more – the premise is something I feel like I am interested in – but for some reason, it just couldn‘t hold my interest all the way through. 3y
6 likes1 comment
review
Riveted_Reader_Melissa
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Pickpick

This story meanders like the mighty river itself, cutting through personal stories of mudlarking and the history of the river itself. From before the first humans, through Britons & Romans & Saxons, Kings & Queens, the industrial revolution and artifacts from all of that activity have found their way into the river either dropped or tossed as rubbish. The river claims all indiscriminately and only shares its stories to those with a keen eye.

Riveted_Reader_Melissa Although I‘m reading this one late, I really enjoyed it once I got it from the library. Thanks for putting it on my radar #NonfictionNerds @dariazeoli 3y
55 likes4 stack adds1 comment
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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
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The river has claimed all manner of objects over the years.

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
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I love these history parts about how the river has changed as human transportation and shipping has changed.

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
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😂 Criminals are crafty! So clever and smart....

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
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The history of the “box office” - the office where the boxes were turned in.

And thank goodness I‘m in this era, I‘d never survive history, no matter how much I like a good time travel story. 😂

Ruthiella I agree! Time travel via books is enough for me. I wouldn‘t survive the actual era! 3y
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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
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Love some of the word origins here along with her finds.

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
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I love that the depth of stuff to find in the area is so prevalent that England has laws on how to handle finds.

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
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So that‘s why there is so much history floating around, not only what was tossed in by locals throughout the ages, but everything that was scooped in, en masse, to built up the sides for the barges of the past...and now the river slowly washes free one tide at a time.

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
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I‘m sure many people would hate this book for these tangents, but I love them...things found by Mudlarkers, and then the history tied to that object. And who lived on that area back before it was the thriving center of London we think of today.

rubyslippersreads This sounds fascinating. 4y
31 likes1 comment
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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
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And now you know where codswallop came from walloping the Codd‘s bottle.

Daisey I think I need to add this book to the never ending TBR. 📚 (edited) 4y
GingerAntics 🤣😂🤣 4y
daniwithtea These still exist! There‘s a Japanese drink called Ramune that uses Codd‘s neck bottles. I *love* smashing the marble into the bottle, but never knew that was a codswallop. :) 4y
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Riveted_Reader_Melissa @daniwithtea She says somewhere in there that they still use them in Japan and India, so that makes sense. I love finding these fascinating tidbits about history in books. In this book she talks about often finding the marbles, because children used to love to break the bottle afterward and get the marble out to play with. 4y
daniwithtea @Riveted_Reader_Melissa that sounds so dangerous, but I understand the temptation! I get Ramune every time my husband orders sushi, and I love rolling the empty bottle back and forth to play with the marble inside :) 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @daniwithtea The description of it reminds me of those games we had when I was a kid, with the balls in water, that you had to try and float them into the catches, and try to get them all in at the same time. So I can understand how it could be hours of entertainment. (edited) 4y
35 likes1 stack add6 comments
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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
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Oh my #NonfictionNerds, Mudlark finally came through from the library! 😂. It‘s only a few months behind, but since I‘m still waiting on this month‘s pick, I think I‘ll read this one first! 😉 @dariazeoli

dariazeoli I still need to read this one! It‘s on Hoopla so I‘ve added it to my list. 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @dariazeoli Haha, well I don‘t feel so far behind now. I heard it was on Hoopla on audiobook, but I hung out for the ebook version from the library anyway....I was hoping they would be some maps or photos of things found. We‘ll see. I just never expected it to take so long to come through. 4y
LeahBergen I have this waiting on my shelves. 👍🏻 4y
63 likes2 stack adds3 comments
review
BarbaraJean
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Pickpick

This caught my attention because of the clay pipes pictured on the cover—my mother used to turn up very similar pipes in our Cambridgeshire back garden & I was curious to find out more about similar objects found along the Thames! This is an interesting account weaving together the author‘s experiences as a mudlark & the history of the Thames as seen through the objects found on its banks. (Continued ⤵️)

BarbaraJean (Cont‘d) There were so many intriguing stories along the way—including the tale of Doves Type, an entire typeface lost to the river. The book is a bit slow-paced, and it dragged for me in the middle, but overall it‘s an enjoyable meander through history. 4y
Freespirit It must be so exiting to find an ancient treasure 😊 4y
LeahBergen I have this waiting on my shelves. I‘ve always wanted to go mud larking! 4y
Wife There are some great mudlarkers on YouTube. My favorite is Nicola White. You can search her name or Tideline Art. I find her videos to be very interesting and relaxing. 4y
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blurb
BarbaraJean
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#BookReport / #WeeklyForecast: This was a heavier week, finishing up Caste and reading This Is My America. Chilbury Ladies‘ Choir was nice to have in the mix for a lighter read.

I just started Mudlark yesterday & am really enjoying it. If I finish it & The Last Piece this week, I‘ll have 2 lines for #BookSpinBingo.🙌🏼I‘d like to read Just Mercy as a follow up to This Is My America, but I may have to return it & get back in line (library holds!).

49 likes1 stack add
review
BarbaraTheBibliophage
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Pickpick

Didn‘t expect to like this as much as I did. Maiklem makes wandering in the mud along the River Thames sound charming and enjoyable. Although she admits to falling in cold mud and getting soaked with rain. Still, her “aw shucks” approach to her finds is admirable. I mean, who finds and preserves a shoe that‘s hundreds of years old? Unique narrative history/nonfiction!

Full review http://www.TheBibliophage.com
#nonfictionnerds #thebibliophage2021

Magpiegem Im glad you enjoyed this, I loved it! It‘s got me looking at my nearest Thames Estuary access points! I‘ll be waist high in mud after this lockdown is over 😂 4y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Magpiegem That‘s awesome! I need to see if such a thing is possible with the decidedly less urban river near me. 4y
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Augustdana Her Instagram is fabulous and so informative!!!! 4y
TNbookworm I loved this book! Love following her on Instagram as well, she always has something interesting to post. 4y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Augustdana @TNbookworm I admit going through dozens of her posts today! I‘m also going to hunt down her TED talk! 4y
TNbookworm @BarbaraTheBibliophage oh wow,she has a TED talk!! Thanks for letting me know! 4y
LeahBergen I have this waiting on my shelves 👍🏻 4y
Leftcoastzen I read this book in 2005 & never forgot it .You up for a privy dig? 4y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Leftcoastzen Oh my ... yes, I‘d probably read Mongo. Thanks! 4y
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dariazeoli
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#NonfictionNerds is reading the tagged book in February- if you can get your hands on a copy, please join us!

The poll to select our March read opens at midnight EST and will last through Feb. 7th. The theme is Women in History, and we have some great choices, as shown.

Goodreads link below, if you‘re interested:

https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1061034-nonfiction-nerds

Chrissyreadit I have a confession- the main reason I never participate is because I can‘t figure out goodreads. I can read the posts- but can‘t access the survey, but once in a while I do- and have no idea how. I am always so lame at figuring this all out. 4y
dariazeoli @Chrissyreadit Someone discovered last year that the app doesn‘t show polls, because that would make too much sense 😁 If you go to the website it‘s at the very bottom of the group page. 4y
36 likes2 comments
blurb
dariazeoli
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Votes have been cast and #NonfictionNerds will be reading the tagged book in February! Join us then, or join the January discussions: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show_book/1061034-nonfiction-nerds?group_book_id...

Hoopla & Libby don‘t show this one available for me, so I may have to sit it out! Will have to look into how borrowing physical books during Covid works around here...

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review
Jen2
Mehso-so

It was ok.

Bookishlie This sounds like it would be interesting. Does it talk about things found on the banks? 5y
Jen2 Yes, those parts were interesting. 5y
60 likes1 stack add2 comments