SPL Book Club: Award-Winning Books

Mudlark: In Search of London’s Past Along the River Thames by Lara Maiklem • Selected by Sue Stoessel

Winner: Indie Book Award in Non-Fiction (2020)

“Engrossing…evokes the subculture of the ‘mudlarks,’ who scour the banks for fragments of London’s past.” –The New Yorker

Find Mudlark in MaineCat

“The international bestseller that mesmerizingly charts quixotic journeys through London’s past, Mudlark thrills Anglophiles and history lovers alike. Long heralded as a city treasure herself, beloved ‘Mudlark’ Lara Maiklem tirelessly treks along the Thames’ muddy shores, unearthing a myriad of artifacts and their stories—from Roman hairpins and perfectly preserved Tudor shoes to the clay pipes that were smoked in riverside taverns. Seamlessly interweaving reflections from her own life with meditations on the art of wandering, Maiklem ultimately delivers a treatise ‘as deep and as rich as the Thames and its treasures’ (Stanley Tucci).” –From the publisher’s website

Eleven readers chose 11 books, and they will lead 11 discussions in 2026. The SPL book club meets the fourth Monday of every month at 6:30pm on Zoom. There are two exceptions: there is no discussion in August when the book club takes a summer break, and the last meeting is bumped up to the second Monday, December 14, to minimize scheduling conflicts around the holidays. New readers—near and far—are always welcome. To sign up for the book club email list, please send a request to the email below.