English History Books

Necropolis: London and Its Dead By Catharine Arnold From burial mounds to charnel houses, the capital's first crematoriumto the black crepe and floral tributes of East End memorials, Catharine Arnold's account of death in London is by turns fascinating, stomachchurning and poignant. She is especially good on the endlessly over-the-top Victorian funeral business. Price: £7.99 (Pocket Books)