<DIV>Bestselling author Christopher Winn takes us on a captivating journey out of London along the banks of the River Thames to discover the secrets and stories of England’s most famous waterway. Discover the Thames’s literary heritage at Pangbourne, near Reading, famous as the home of <I>The Wind in the Willows's</I> Kenneth Grahame; then explore Mapledurham House, the inspiration for its famous Toad Hall. Explore Henley-on-Thames, where the first Oxford and Cambridge boat races were held, then marvel at Southend Pier, the longest pleasure pier in the world. As he follows the river from source to sea, visiting its towns, villages, and places of interest, Winn unearths a fascinating array of facts, folklore, landmarks, and legends. Illustrated with line drawings this charming gem of a book is guaranteed to inform and delight in equal measure.</DIV>