A lyrical meditation on landscapes and cities vivid reportage and a memoir. And also a beautifully realised and moving read. Financial TimesA beguiling mix of history geology folklore and memoir that captivated me from the first page. Lara Maiklem author of MudlarkingTom Chivers brings a poets sensibility to this book about the hidden parts of the capital mixing the past with the present the known with the unknown and his personal story with social history and geology. Bernardine Evaristo author of Girl Woman OtherWhat secrets lie beneath a cityTom Chivers follows hidden pathways explores lost islands and uncovers the geological mysteries that burst up through the pavement and bubble to the surface of our streets. From Roman ruins to a submerged playhouse from an abandoned Tube station to underground rivers Chivers leads us on a journey into the depths of the city he loves.A lyrical interrogation of a capital city a landscape and our connection to place London Clay celebrates urban edgelands inbetween spaces where the natural world and the metropolis collide. Through a combination of historical research vivid reportage and personal memoir it will transform how you see London and cities everywhere.Tom Chivers with the forensic eye of an investigator the soul of a poet is an engaging presence a guide we would do well to follow. Iain Sinclair author of The Last London