Ali's London

        The first stop of our literary London tour is Buckingham Palace. Buckingham Palace, situated within the borough of Westminster, opened in 1705. The palace was bought in 1762 by King George III for his wife, Queen Charlotte ("Buckingham Palace"). Since then, the palace has been utilized for royalty, giving it a highly prestigious, regal, traditional ambience that remains just as prominent to this day.

       More than fifty thousand people visit the palace annually ("Royal Residences: Buckingham Palace"). Tourists can easily locate the…

The second stop from Monica Ali’s Brick Lane is St. James Park.

St. James Park is a bustling, culturally and historically significant park in the city of London. It borders Buckingham Palace, which made it an ideal place to stop in the story. The history of the park is quite fascinating in that the land began as marshy backwater, where animals, such as pigs, grazed. Additionally, a hospital was on the land for a time, treating women with leprosy. Called the Leper Hospital of St. James the Less, this history gave the park its name (“The History and Architecture of…

Osborn Street is a continuation from Brick Lane which is then bisected by White Chapel Road (The Underground Map). Surrounded by restaurants and hotels, it is a small road that is generally irrelevant compared to the larger streets surrounding it. This street largely has a history tied into Brick Lane, with deep roots in immigration, becoming a home for many people of different backgrounds (Tower Hamlets). For example, beginning at the start of World War 11, many Bengalis moved to the surrounding area in response to serving in the war. Bengalis along with Jews, Muslims, Protestants, and…

Description:

Brick Lane, which has existed since the 16th century, used to act as a field path outside of London. The lane is thought to get its name from brick and tile manufacturers that used the street to sell their products. The East London street is filled with shops, restaurants, and other unique storefronts that have been shaped by Bengali culture since the late 20th century (Oakley). Many believe that the peak of Brick Lane, or “Banglatown” as many native Londoners call it, was in the early 2000s (“Bengal Culture”). Viewing Brick Lane’s history through a nuanced lens that…