City of details : interpreting the personality of London

Abstract

This article investigates the ways in which a group of enthusiasts for London constitute their city. The 'personality' attributed to London is described, as well as the interpretive acts that reveal it. These people, who also lead walking tours across the city, privilege 'detail' as their term of analysis. The article examines the identified qualities of that category, in particular its perceived capacity to animate the plural time-spaces of the city. This sensitivity to detail is presented as part of a sensing of place, which allows people to regard themselves as uniquely able to see the city. The article is intended as a contribution to the ethnography of London.