If, like me, you generally skip the preface, don't do so on this occasion. I was expecting archaeology, architecture, maps and diagrams as well as famous prisoners from this "story of Newgate gaol". But what you get is a social history defined by the tales of selected inmates of this infamous prison. As such it is informative, perhaps too repetitive in the filth, faeces and stench department, and with some interesting nuggets re origin of phrases such as ‘left in the lurch' and lives of some less well known criminals.
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