Peter Ackroyd
Thames: The Biography by Peter Ackroyd charts the history, geography, flora and fauna of the Thames, as well its cultural, industrial, and economic impact on London and Londoners. It paints a vivid portrait of those who made their living on the Thames, by the Thames, or near the Thames.
Ackroyd’s research is extensive and impressive. He explores the Thames under chapter headings ranging from its role as metaphor; its evolution through the centuries; as a site for the performance of rituals, including baptisms and sacrifices; as an instrument of industrialization and trade; as a source of inspiration for art and literature; as a healer; as a depository for human waste; as a site for pleasure; and as a place of life and death. At various times in its long life and in its various locations, the Thames is described as pristine and full of potential; at other times, it is dark, murky, with an overpowering stench that saturates its surroundings.
Although replete with interesting tidbits about authors and artists and where they lived along the Thames, the biography suffers from choppy writing and a lack of coherent unity. At times it’s as if Ackroyd merely parades names, activities, and/or locations, barely linking them with a unifying theme. The lists alternate with little anecdotes about life and activity on the Thames. Overall, the impression is of a series of research notes hurriedly pasted together. The narrative seems to mosey along, jumping from one point to the next, from one location to the next, and from one time frame to the next.
Ackroyd is so profuse in his admiration for the Thames that he seems to endow it with almost mythic qualities, occasionally elevating it beyond reason. The Thames does have a long and interesting history. It has had a profound effect on the growth of a city. And it is a beautiful river. But it is worthwhile to remember, when all is said and done, it is just a river.
Recommended with reservations.