This is the fifth sixth volume of Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London series. Which features PC Peter Grant from the London’s Metropolitan Police specialising in paranormal crime. Joining a line of magicians that was started by Isaac Newton. And with the help of water deities. Although this English magic sleuthing series does not compare with the superlative Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell single book, The Hanging Tree remains highly enjoyable, maybe more for its style and vocabulary than for the detective story itself, which does not sound completely coherent (unless I read it too quickly during the wee hours in Banff last week). And does not bring much about this part of London. Still a pleasure to read as the long term pattern of Aaronovitch’s universe slowly unravels and some characters get more substance and depth.
Archive for Hyde Park
The Hanging Tree
Posted in Books, Kids, Travel with tags Banff, Ben Aaronovitch, England, English magic, Hyde Park, London, Rivers of London, Thames on March 25, 2017 by xi'anSydney snapshots (#2)
Posted in pictures, Travel with tags Hyde Park, St Mary of the Cross, Sydney on July 19, 2012 by xi'an
Ravens at the Serpentine
Posted in Books, pictures, Statistics, University life with tags Hyde Park, London, raven, Serpentine on May 7, 2011 by xi'an
We were having a (brainstorming) breakfast with Oliver Ratmann in the Serpentine Bar and Kitchen (definitely the ultimate London office on a warm sunny day!) and one raven started working on leftovers carefully wrapped by a former customer. It gave a rather long call and soon enough a second raven appeared. (From what I read this summer while in Long Beach, ravens enjoy both a highly complex social organisation and a rich array of elaborate calls that correspond to this hierarchy.) The second raven seemed more astute or more persistent and it managed to unwrap this package, only to discover that all that was left within was the smell of food. So it left and the first raven dumped the plastic garbage into the Serpentine…
ABC in London
Posted in Statistics, Travel, University life with tags ABC, ABC in London, Hyde Park, Imperial College London, Nature Precedings on May 5, 2011 by xi'anToday is the day of the ABC in London meeting. As noted by Michael Stumpf on his last mail to the speakers, “because of the impressive list of excellent speakers we could have filled the venue three times over but had to severely limit places…” And indeed the waiting queue for the meeting is quite long, at least crossing once the whole of Hyde Park! Note that all talks will be videoed in order to set up a Collection on Nature Precedings, to keep a record of all presentations.
Here are my slides, pilfered from my longer talk in Zurich and incorporating the latest updates:
