Nick Papadimitriou (born 1958 in
Finchley
Finchley () is a large district of north London, England, in the London Borough of Barnet. north of Charing Cross, nearby districts include: Golders Green, Muswell Hill, Friern Barnet, Whetstone, London, Whetstone, Mill Hill and Hendon.
It is ...
,
Middlesex
Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, former county in South East England, now mainly within Greater London. Its boundaries largely followed three rivers: the River Thames, Thames in the south, the River Lea, Le ...
), nicknamed the "London perambulator" after the short film about him produced by John Rogers in 2009,
[Nick Papadimitriou interview](_blank)
''Timeout.com'', 2012 is a British writer with a keen interest in the topography of the
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
region.
Biography
Papadimitriou started to "conscious walk" the region of London in the late 1980s. He describes the activity of walking and exploring as a cathartic phenomenon worth nurturing, and feels that landscapes shape his mind as he progresses onward.
[Nick Papadimitriou interview](_blank)
''Granta.com''22 May 2012 He has collected around 2,000 maps and historical documents about the region.
In 2007, Papadimitriou wrote and designed the "Middlesex County Council" website, a collection of articles intended "not only to explore and present the historic legacy of old Middlesex, but also to examine the way in which the county-region still coheres as a distinct entity at the topographic and imaginative levels".
Between 2009 and 2011, Papadimitriou co-hosted, with John Rogers, two series of a radio show on
Resonance FM
Resonance 104.4 FM is a London based non-profit community radio station specialising in the arts run by the London Musicians' Collective (LMC). The station is staffed by two permanent staff members, including Chief Executive Officer Peter Lance ...
entitled ''Ventures and Adventures in Topography''. The first series examined a number of early-twentieth-century 'rambling' books which explored the suburbs of London through the eyes of forgotten authors such as
S. P. B. Mais
Stuart Petre Brodie Mais (4 July 1885 – 21 April 1975), known publicly as S. P. B. Mais, was a British author, journalist and broadcaster. He was an author of travel books and guides, and had an informal style that made him popular with the gen ...
and
Gordon S. Maxwell, while the second series took a more general if still somewhat esoteric approach to walking in the urban fringes of the capital. Papadimitriou's interest in and identification with the former county of
Middlesex
Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, former county in South East England, now mainly within Greater London. Its boundaries largely followed three rivers: the River Thames, Thames in the south, the River Lea, Le ...
featured in a number of these broadcasts.
In 2013, Nick Papadimitriou published the book ''Scarp''. Part autobiography, part fiction, part travelogue, and written after decades of hiking and discoveries in and around
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, the book focused on the ridge of land to the north of the city's suburbs which Papadimitriou refers to as the ''North Middlesex/South Hertfordshire Tertiary Escarpment''.
Papadimitriou also provided material to
Will Self
William Woodard Self (born 26 September 1961) is an English writer, journalist, political commentator and broadcaster. He has written 11 novels, five collections of shorter fiction, three novellas and nine collections of non-fiction writing. Se ...
for his book ''
The Book of Dave''.
Books
*''Foul Deeds and Suspicious Deaths in Barnet, Finchley and Hendon'', Wharncliffe Books, 19 Feb 2009 ()
*''Scarp'', Sceptre, 9 May 2013 ()
Filmography
Papadimitriou was the subject of a documentary film made by John Rogers in 2009 featuring
Russell Brand
Russell Edward Brand (born 4 June 1975) is an English comedian, actor, podcaster and media personality. He established himself as a stand-up comedian and radio host before becoming a film actor. After beginning his career as a comedian and la ...
,
Will Self
William Woodard Self (born 26 September 1961) is an English writer, journalist, political commentator and broadcaster. He has written 11 novels, five collections of shorter fiction, three novellas and nine collections of non-fiction writing. Se ...
and
Iain Sinclair
Iain Sinclair FRSL (born 11 June 1943) is a writer and filmmaker. Much of his work is rooted in London, recently within the influences of psychogeography.
Early life and education
Sinclair was born in Cardiff, Wales, on 11 June 1943.
From 19 ...
, in which he spoke of his practice as ''
Deep Topography''.
Prizes
* 2012 New Voice by ''
Granta
''Granta'' is a literary magazine and publisher in the United Kingdom whose mission centres on its "belief in the power and urgency of the story, both in fiction and non-fiction, and the story's supreme ability to describe, illuminate and make ...
''
See also
*
Psychogeography
Psychogeography is the exploration of urban environments that emphasizes interpersonal connections to places and arbitrary routes. It was developed by members of the Letterist International and Situationist International, which were revolutionar ...
*
The Mill Field
The Mill Field is a Site of Nature Conservation Interest, Site of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation, Grade II, in Mill Hill in the London Borough of Barnet. It is a public open space which slopes steeply down from the road called The Ri ...
References
Psychogeographers
British travel writers
1958 births
Living people
{{UK-writer-stub