Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by dee9401
The Diary of Samuel Pepys by Samuel Pepys
3.0
The Diary of Samuel Pepys is an interesting book, especially in the edited, single-volume version I had from Modern Library. If I were doing research, I would grab the full edition. But this condensed volumes provides a wonderful sampling of an upper middle class life from 1660 through mid-1669. Pepys is witness to several important events, including the Restoration of the monarchy with the coronation of Charles II, the Great Plague (1665-66), the Great Fire (1666) and the second war with the Dutch (1665-67).
His entries on the plague are haunting. His first entry that I remember was of a Dutch plague ship with 300-400 dead (9/24/1664). By mid 1665, there are plague houses popping up in London, marked with red crosses. On June 15th, 112 are reported dead for that week. By the 21st, people begin to flee London. He writes on August 31st that there were 6,102 deaths this week. Thankfully, by November 15th of 1665, the deaths were down to about 1,300 per week. By spring 1666, the plague had mostly subsided.
This was just in time for the Great Fire, which came on Sept. 2nd. Pepys, his wife and her maid all could see the fire burning the first night. The fire burned until Sept. 8th. A French shop owner was accused of the fire and hanged shortly afterward. By February 24th, 1667, Pepys still believed that man had done the fire, but modern research suggests that it was likely started accidentally by a baker’s oven.
While Pepys documents some of the greater events of his day, he also gives us an insight into the everyday life of a businessman with ties to the Admiralty, the upper class and his community. He is an avid reader, collecting books and having them bound in the same style bindings (1/18/1665). He studies Latin (6/21/1663) and music, even taking lessons on many different instruments. Many of the things that happened day to day there still go on today: getting mad at a dog pooping in the house (2/12/1660) or being awakened by your sleeping partner elbowing you in the face (1/1/1662). During the Great Fire, he buried his parmesan cheese and wine in a hole in the ground, to protect it from the flames (9/4/1666). By 1668, his vision is getting weaker, he thinks due to his constant diary keeping. For this, he takes a doctor’s cure, having 14 ounces of blood let out (7/13/1668).
Pepys is a bit of a shallow man. He covets his money, regularly making entries about how much he is worth. He regularly yells at and often strikes his few servants. He is perpetually lusting after other women, following them around, having affairs with some, and getting caught and not showing much remorse. He was supposedly a supporter of Oliver Cromwell, but eagerly gets behind Charles II when he was to come to power.
Overall, this diary provides an impressive, daily insight into one man’s life in London during the 1660s and was well worth the time to read it.
His entries on the plague are haunting. His first entry that I remember was of a Dutch plague ship with 300-400 dead (9/24/1664). By mid 1665, there are plague houses popping up in London, marked with red crosses. On June 15th, 112 are reported dead for that week. By the 21st, people begin to flee London. He writes on August 31st that there were 6,102 deaths this week. Thankfully, by November 15th of 1665, the deaths were down to about 1,300 per week. By spring 1666, the plague had mostly subsided.
This was just in time for the Great Fire, which came on Sept. 2nd. Pepys, his wife and her maid all could see the fire burning the first night. The fire burned until Sept. 8th. A French shop owner was accused of the fire and hanged shortly afterward. By February 24th, 1667, Pepys still believed that man had done the fire, but modern research suggests that it was likely started accidentally by a baker’s oven.
While Pepys documents some of the greater events of his day, he also gives us an insight into the everyday life of a businessman with ties to the Admiralty, the upper class and his community. He is an avid reader, collecting books and having them bound in the same style bindings (1/18/1665). He studies Latin (6/21/1663) and music, even taking lessons on many different instruments. Many of the things that happened day to day there still go on today: getting mad at a dog pooping in the house (2/12/1660) or being awakened by your sleeping partner elbowing you in the face (1/1/1662). During the Great Fire, he buried his parmesan cheese and wine in a hole in the ground, to protect it from the flames (9/4/1666). By 1668, his vision is getting weaker, he thinks due to his constant diary keeping. For this, he takes a doctor’s cure, having 14 ounces of blood let out (7/13/1668).
Pepys is a bit of a shallow man. He covets his money, regularly making entries about how much he is worth. He regularly yells at and often strikes his few servants. He is perpetually lusting after other women, following them around, having affairs with some, and getting caught and not showing much remorse. He was supposedly a supporter of Oliver Cromwell, but eagerly gets behind Charles II when he was to come to power.
Overall, this diary provides an impressive, daily insight into one man’s life in London during the 1660s and was well worth the time to read it.