On a Grander Scale: The Outstanding Life of Sir Christopher Wren [Hardcover]

Lisa Jardine (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 600 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; First Edition edition (2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0007107757
• ISBN-13: 978-0007107759
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 5.8 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,485,927 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Terrific!, March 1, 2003

By 

Lauren S. Kahn (McLean, VA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: On a Grander Scale: The Outstanding Life of Sir Christopher Wren (Hardcover)

Christopher Wren, didn't he rebuild St. Paul's after the Great Fire. Yes, he did that--and rebuilt all those parish churches too. We all know that.

But, who knew that is father was the Dean of St. George's Chapel, Windsor, and, in that capacity hid the records of the Order of the Garter during the Cromwell period?

Who knew that he helped to found the Royal Society (for the advancement of science)? That he was at one time a professor of astronomy.

In an age where half those born did not reach their first birthday, Christopher Wren, lived to be 91 years old. His achievements were monumental (pun intended) but they want far beyond the architecture we know about (which in his old age he referred to as "rubbish").

His was an astounding life. This book is well researched and superbly written. After reading this one, I went out and bought the author's life of Jane Austen (of course from Amazon).

Kudo's to the author and you all go out and buy (and read) this one!

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Well researched but trivial, May 16, 2005

By 

Michael R. Gallagher (Shenzhen, China) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: On a Grander Scale: The Outstanding Life of Sir Christopher Wren (Hardcover)

I admit that I approached this book hoping for more info about his architecture and scientific thinking. And also admittedly, the author straight off the bat says that if you are looking for pure architecture on Wren look at another book, or pure scientific theories of Wren also look at another book. However, I was hoping for a middle ground. The book delves more into the turbulence of the times and how that affected young Wren's monetary standing. Lots of info about minor characters. Lots of overly long and redundant quotes from archaicly written (obviously) source materials that the author has to paraphrase almost word for word after the quote. But very little info about the science or the architecture.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars reader if you require a monument, look around you, November 29, 2003

By 

Patricia A. Powell (gladstone, nj USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: On a Grander Scale: The Outstanding Life of Sir Christopher Wren (Hardcover)

"reader if you require a monument, look around you" (inscription of the plaque at Wren's tomb)

Sir Christopher Wren was born to a life of privilege that evaporated when Charles I was deposed. His father was Order of the Garter. Suddenly his family was in danger of losing life as well as property. These were Wren's student years. During this period Wren became pragmatic, and he survived.

It was the Restoration of Charles II to the throne of England that restored the fortunes of the Wren family. Too late for the father, but at precisely the right moment for the son. Charles II restored the monarchy, and restored the fortunes of Wren. The Restoration was an extraordinary period.

Wren was a Renaissance man, best known for his architecture, in particular St. Paul's Cathedral. But Wren also "mapped moons and the trajectories of comets" He "pursued astronomy and medicine during two civil wars."

This is a scholarly biography, and not light beach reading. Lisa Jardine's 85 pages of notes and an eighteen page bibliography may give some insight into how seriously she has taken her subject. On a Grander Scale is a detailed report on a fascinating time in England's history and one of the men that made it so. It is well done, accurate, and intellectually stimulating.