Opening in the 1640s, as the city was gripped in tumult leading up to the English Civil War, The Phoenix charts the lives and works of five extraordinary men, who would grow up in the chaos of a world turned upside down: the architect, Sir Christopher Wren; gardener and virtuosi, John Evelyn; the scientist, Robert Hooke; the radical philosopher, John Locke and the builder, Nicholas Barbon. At the heart of the story is the rebuilding of London's iconic cathedral, St Paul's. Interweaving science, architecture, history and philosophy, The Phoenix tells the story of the formation of the first modern city.
The Phoenix: The Men Who Made Modern London
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
' a fascinating book' -- Peter Lewis, THE DAILY MAIL
'A fascinating picture of the rebirth of London after the Fire and the men who made it happen, combining the history of ideas, architecture and the life of the city in a riveting narrative.' -- Jenny Uglow
'A wonderfully rich and informative book. To present deep scholarship so accessibly and with such fluency is a rare achievement.' -- Tom Holland
'In this fascinating, richly detailed account of how St Paul's rose from London's ashes after the Great Fire, Leo Hollis unravels what he calls this "puzzle in stone" to describe not just the new cathedral and its design and construction but also the complex politics, science and philosophy of the day and the ambitions of the extraordinary men who created the first truly modern city.' -- Lucy Moore
'Leo Hollis has set himself a daunting task in giving us the biographies of five men, recounting the history of England...He has brought it off triumphantly. The entire work is written in lively modern English without a trace of scholastic starch as Hollis successfully juggles the lives of the men while riding the uneasy monocycle of 17th-century politics and religious debate to give us a thoroughly engrossing adventure story.' -- SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY
'The Phoenix is a truly inspiring story of human ingenuity and persistence in the face of disaster - and of how the future can be built out of the rubble of the past. On top of all that, it's hard to imagine a better introduction to the politics and culture of this glorious period in English history.' -- Ross King
'This is a superlative book. Leo Hollis has that rare gift of making the complex, such as the nature of light and the complexity of national finance, comprehensible to the most lay of readers, whom he rewards - with no dumbing down - with fascinating details and characters.' -- Liza Picard
'makes us see St Paul's as if for the first time, a remarkable achievement.' -- Jonathan Glancey
'the political obstacles... and the social detail of modern London on the make are consistently fascinating.' -- RA ARTS MAGAZINE
'A fascinating picture of the rebirth of London after the Fire and the men who made it happen, combining the history of ideas, architecture and the life of the city in a riveting narrative.' -- Jenny Uglow
'A wonderfully rich and informative book. To present deep scholarship so accessibly and with such fluency is a rare achievement.' -- Tom Holland
'In this fascinating, richly detailed account of how St Paul's rose from London's ashes after the Great Fire, Leo Hollis unravels what he calls this "puzzle in stone" to describe not just the new cathedral and its design and construction but also the complex politics, science and philosophy of the day and the ambitions of the extraordinary men who created the first truly modern city.' -- Lucy Moore
'Leo Hollis has set himself a daunting task in giving us the biographies of five men, recounting the history of England...He has brought it off triumphantly. The entire work is written in lively modern English without a trace of scholastic starch as Hollis successfully juggles the lives of the men while riding the uneasy monocycle of 17th-century politics and religious debate to give us a thoroughly engrossing adventure story.' -- SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY
'The Phoenix is a truly inspiring story of human ingenuity and persistence in the face of disaster - and of how the future can be built out of the rubble of the past. On top of all that, it's hard to imagine a better introduction to the politics and culture of this glorious period in English history.' -- Ross King
'This is a superlative book. Leo Hollis has that rare gift of making the complex, such as the nature of light and the complexity of national finance, comprehensible to the most lay of readers, whom he rewards - with no dumbing down - with fascinating details and characters.' -- Liza Picard
'makes us see St Paul's as if for the first time, a remarkable achievement.' -- Jonathan Glancey
'the political obstacles... and the social detail of modern London on the make are consistently fascinating.' -- RA ARTS MAGAZINE
About the Author
Leo Hollis was educated at Stonyhurst College and read history at UEA. He is the author of books on London and Paris, and works in publishing. He lives with his wife and children in London.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Phoenix: St. Paul's Cathedral/Charing Cross Road Books,
By JCC "Jan" (Niskayuna, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Phoenix (Hardcover)
This book was a Christmas gift for a friend with an interest in St. Paul's and Christopher Wren. I was excited to find it and a bit concerned about timing when I found that I would have to order it from Charing Cross Road Books in London. The Bookstore responded promptly and the book arrived in plenty of time. They emailed me twice to confirm and check on the order and were very professional and friendly. Small town service a world away! I would not hesitate to order from this vendor again.
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