1666: Plague, War and Hellfire

Author(s): Rebecca Rideal

History

1666 was a watershed year for England. The outbreak of the Great Plague, the eruption of the second Dutch War and the Great Fire of London all struck the country in rapid succession and with devastating repercussions. Shedding light on these dramatic events, historian Rebecca Rideal reveals an unprecedented period of terror and triumph. Based on original archival research and drawing on little-known sources, 1666: Plague, War and Hellfire takes readers on a thrilling journey through a crucial turning point in English history, as seen through the eyes of an extraordinary cast of historical characters. While the central events of this significant year were ones of devastation and defeat, 1666 also offers a glimpse of the incredible scientific and artistic progress being made at that time, from Isaac Newton's discovery of gravity to Robert Hooke's microscopic wonders. It was in this year that John Milton completed Paradise Lost, Frances Stewart posed for the now-iconic image of Britannia, and a young architect named Christopher Wren proposed a plan for a new London - a stone phoenix to rise from the charred ashes of the old city. With flair and style, 1666 shows a city and a country on the cusp of modernity, and a series of events that forever altered the course of history.

$27.99 NZD

Stock: 0


Add to Wishlist


Product Information

An impressively vivid account of an extraordinary piece of England's history. Rideal is particularly good on the great set pieces - the plague, the fire and (especially) the naval battles - which she brings to dramatic life with telling details The Times A book firmly anchored in the grain of contemporary accounts, sparking with the crackle of first-hand reports Guardian Sympathetic and sharp-eyed ... an enjoyable book about an exciting period of history Daily Telegraph Rideal's London pulses with humanity ... It is Rideal's vivid and confident style, teamed with meticulous research and a curiosity for the quotidian that makes 1666: Plague, War and Hellfire a memorable, gripping and very satisfying read Historia Accessible and entertaining ... a keen eye for engaging anecdote and historical personality The Spectator 1666 is described brilliantly ... a rollicking new book Evening Standard Bound to reveal secrets you won't have heard before History Revealed Gripping and beautifully written ... extraordinarily vivid BBC History Magazine

Rebecca Rideal is a factual television producer and writer. She runs the online history magazine, The History Vault, and is currently studying for a PhD on Restoration London during the Great Plague and the Great Fire at University College London.

General Fields

  • : 9781473623545
  • : Hodder & Stoughton
  • : John Murray Publishers Ltd
  • : 0.225
  • : February 2017
  • : 198mm X 129mm X 19mm
  • : United Kingdom
  • : April 2017
  • : books

Special Fields

  • : Rebecca Rideal
  • : Paperback
  • : Paperback
  • : 517
  • : 517
  • : English
  • : English
  • : 942.066
  • : 942.066
  • : 304
  • : 304