Craig Taylor

Craig Taylor is a Canadian author and journalist known for his oral histories of cities, particularly his acclaimed books about London and New York. His most notable works include "Londoners: The Days and Nights of London Now" (2011) and "New Yorkers: A City and Its People in Our Time" (2021). Taylor's writing style focuses on capturing authentic voices through extensive interviews, weaving together diverse perspectives to create detailed portraits of urban life. His work has appeared in publications including The Guardian, The Globe and Mail, and The New York Times. Taylor also wrote and edited the long-running One Million Tiny Plays About Britain series for The Guardian, which was later adapted for stage productions. He has served as a contributor to McSweeney's and This American Life. The author divides his time between Canada and the UK, where he continues to document contemporary urban experiences through oral histories and journalism. His books have received recognition including the Ondaatje Prize longlisting and widespread critical acclaim in both British and American press.

Readers praise Taylor's ability to capture authentic voices and experiences in his oral histories. Multiple Amazon reviewers note how his interview style allows subjects to tell their stories naturally. Many appreciate how he weaves different perspectives together without imposing his own views. For "Londoners," readers highlighted the diverse range of voices - from taxi drivers to traders. One Goodreads reviewer wrote: "Makes you feel like you're eavesdropping on real London conversations." "New Yorkers" drew praise for documenting the city during COVID-19. A common thread in reviews is Taylor's skill at finding compelling stories from ordinary people. Some readers found the interview format repetitive over long stretches. Others wanted more context and background between the oral histories. A few noted that the books can feel disconnected without a stronger narrative thread. Ratings: "Londoners" - 3.9/5 on Goodreads (7,800+ ratings) "New Yorkers" - 4.1/5 on Goodreads (2,900+ ratings) Amazon ratings average 4.3/5 across his works.

Londoners: The Days and Nights of London Now (2011) An oral history of contemporary London told through interviews with 80 people including a street sweeper, an urban fox hunter, a dominatrix, and a Wiccan priestess.

New Yorkers: A City and Its People in Our Time (2021) A collection of first-person accounts from over 75 New York City residents documenting their experiences before and after major events like 9/11 and the 2008 financial crisis.

Return to Akenfield (2006) A follow-up study of the Suffolk village previously documented in Ronald Blythe's 1969 book, examining rural English life through conversations with current residents.

One Million Tiny Plays About Britain (2009) A compilation of short scenes depicting everyday British life, originally published as a series in The Guardian newspaper.

Studs Terkel - A pioneering oral historian who documented American life through interviews with everyday people across multiple books. His work "Working" and "The Good War" established the template for interview-based social histories that Taylor later followed.

Joseph Mitchell - His portraits of New York City characters in "Up in the Old Hotel" captured the essence of urban life through careful observation and interviews. Mitchell's focus on individual stories to reveal larger truths about city life mirrors Taylor's approach.

Svetlana Alexievich - Her oral histories of Soviet and post-Soviet life compile individual voices into powerful collective narratives. Her books like "Voices from Chernobyl" demonstrate the same dedication to preserving authentic voices that characterizes Taylor's work.

Dave Isay - The founder of StoryCorps has collected thousands of interviews with Americans from all walks of life. His books presenting these oral histories share Taylor's commitment to documenting urban experiences through first-person accounts.

Tony Parker - His interview-based books about British life and society focused on gathering authentic voices from across social classes. Parker's works like "The People of Providence" showed how individual stories can paint a complete picture of a community.