This is not a CAMRA book but, having seen it mentioned in Time Out and, given its source, I thought that it was worth a mention. Many readers will have heard of the Open House London Festival which persuades the owners of a variety of properties not normally accessible to the public to open once a year. This year the event ran from 4 to 12 September. The organisers, Open City, have published a book called Public House: A Cultural and Social History of the London Pub. It sets out to look at, according to the publishers, the ‘diversity, design and culture of everything from Victorian gin palaces and medieval taverns to the chin-stroking craft breweries and swanky new start-ups around today. It tells stories of migration, queer activism, black history and much more, painting a hop-smelling picture of London’s history through 120 pubs in all 33 boroughs’. The book has been edited by architects Cristina Monteiro and David Knight, the foreword has been contributed by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and there are articles from a wide range of people. The book was published on 4 September; cover price £18.99. It can be purchased from Open House’s website . If you do buy a copy, check out the story about the view of St Paul’s from Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese.