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Mudlarking

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Mudlarking

By: Lara Maiklem
Narrated by: Lara Maiklem
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About this listen

Mudlark (/'mAdla;k/) noun A person who scavenges for usable debris in the mud of a river or harbour.

Lara Maiklem has scoured the banks of the Thames for over 15 years, in pursuit of the objects that the river unearths: from Neolithic flints to Roman hair pins, medieval buckles to Tudor buttons, Georgian clay pipes to Victorian toys.

These objects tell her about London and its lost ways of life. Moving from the river's tidal origins in the west of the city to the point where it meets the sea in the east, Mudlarking is a search for urban solitude and history on the River Thames, what Lara calls 'the longest archaeological site in the world'.

©2018 Lara Maiklem (P)2019 Audible, Ltd Archaeology Civilization Ecosystems & Habitats Human Geography Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Science Social Sciences World Inspiring England

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Audible Sessions : Lara Maiklem on Mudlarking

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I spotted this in Foyles bookshop on the Southbank in London yesterday and had to download it, it caught my eye after the serendipity of having seen some mudlarkers on Bankside as I walked along the Thames just half an hour earlier. This was an unexpectedly engaging and interesting read. Could easily have devoured more and would now love to see an exhibit of finds from across the ages.

Unexpectedly fascinating insight into lost London

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The term Mudlarker began to be used within the 18th and 19th Century and is a title given to Londoners who spend their time searching for items within the mud and muck which makes up the Thames shore lines. This book is divided into the various different sections of the Thames and describes one woman’s search for items of interest, what she has found and her dreams / imaginings of their individual owners.

I had been unsure as to what to expect from this book and I had purchased largely upon the many glowing reviews which I had read; I have not been disappointed!

At various points Lara Maiklem will discuss each find no matter how small or seemingly insignificant in detail. For example handmade pins. She may discuss the cleaning operation which can be painstaking, but for me the part I love is her dreams around the potential owners and their lives. As a person with a deep interest in history and a fellow daydreamer these small snippets were beautiful.

Throughout the book Lara Maiklem will use her knowledge of London and painstaking research into different historical periods to discuss London’s Thames through the ages and how society have altered. However this is more than just a book about history, this is also a book of how Lara Maiklem found ‘herself’.

The book sings with Lara Maiklem’s passion for this occupation and it was delight to listen to her calm and enthusiastic tones while I driving or completing some other mundane tasks. A gorgeous book, one I will likely go back for another listen and would recommend others to give it a go!

An alternative view of the Thames

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I normally listen to psycho thrillers and I have an aversion to authors reading their own books but this just proves me wrong. How could anyone be captivated by someone scrabbling round in the Thames mud? Yet I was and all the way through. Lara has a wonderful voice and her finds and the history she uncovers makes me want to get down and dirty and try it to drown myself. Thank you Lara.

Beautiful and fascinating

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Fascinating biography of a lifetime collecting along the shoreline of the Thames. Full of interesting history of the river Thames and the activities carried out on its banks over millennia. Also a revealing study on the nature of perseverance and obsession. Well read. Easy to imagine yourself trudging through tidal mud, looking for the discarded oddments of ages. A great audio book.

Waterside obsession

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This was an amazing listen. If you love history and finding treasure - I don't mean gold and jewels (although the author does find these at times). I mean bits of broken pottery that make you wonder what object it came from, pieces of clay pipe and you imagine who it belonged to, you question where did the wine come from that was in that broken bottle. If this is you then you'll love this book. The author tells us of her finds and those of other mudlarks, the stories behind them and conveys a deep understanding of the river and what she does. I really enjoyed this and could not stop listening.

Fascinating

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