A Northern Line Minute

Part of a series of twelve books tied to the twelve lines of the London Underground, this title tells the darkly humorous tales of the author's escapades on the Tube.

Read stories inspired by the four Underground lines that run North and South through city - part of a series of twelve books tied to the twelve lines of the London Underground, as Tfl celebrates 150 years of the Tube with Penguin. Comedy and capitalism join in four tales: The Northern Line: William Leith, author of The Hungry Years and Bits of Me Are Falling Apart, tells, in A Northern Line Minute, the darkly humorous tales of his escapades on the Tube. The Bakerloo Line: Paul Morley, author, journalist and cultural commentator, tells the story in Earthbound of post-punk, music and changing times. The Victoria Line: Kids Company, a leading London charity supported by Prince Charles, Helen Mirren and Stephen Fry, presents the voices of some of London's children, in partnership with the charity's founder Camila Batmanghelidjh. The Jubilee Line: John O'Farrell, author of The Man Who Forgot His Wife and An Utterly Impartial History of Britain turns his comedic genius to the problem of capitalism, encapsulated in a Tube train full of passengers stuck underground.

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Tube, the Penguin Underground Lines brings together 12 books by writers ranging from John O'Farrell to John Lanchester, Lucy Wadham to the Kids' Company Name: Penguin Underground Lines Date of Birth: will be born 7th March 2013 Vital statistics: Twelve books, one for each Underground line, to celebrate the Tube's 150th anniversary Idea for series: Penguin asked twelve people to tell their tale of the city in 15,000 words (or in one case, no words at all), each inspired by a different tube line. Defining characteristics: While the responses range from the polemical to the fantastical, the personal to the societal, they offer something for every taste. Read individually they're delightful small reads, pulled together they offer a particular portrait of a global city. The 12 authors: Fantastic Man; Kids Company; Danny Dorling; John Lanchester; William Leith; Richard Mabey; Paul Morley; John O'Farrell; Philippe Parreno; Leanne Shapton; Lucy Wadham; Peter York 'Authors include the masterly John Lanchester, the children of Kids Company, comic John O'Farrell and social geographer Danny Dorling. Ranging from the polemical to the fantastical, the personal to the societal, they offer something for every taste. All experience the city as a cultural phenomenon and notice its nature and its people. Read individually they're delightful small reads, pulled together they offer a particular portrait of a global city' Evening Standard 'Exquisitely diverse' The Times 'Eclectic and broad-minded ... beautifully designed' Tom Cox, Observer 'A fascinating collection with a wide range of styles and themes. The design qualities are excellent, as you might expect from Penguin with a consistent look and feel while allowing distinctive covers for each book. This is a very pleasing set of books' A Common Reader blog 'The contrasts and transitions between books are as stirring as the books themselves ... A multidimensional literary jigsaw' Londonist 'A series of short, sharp, city-based vignettes - some personal, some political and some pictorial ... each inimitable author finds that our city is complicated but ultimately connected, full of wit, and just the right amount of grit' Fabric Magazine 'A collection of beautiful books' Grazia