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The Phoenix

St Paul's Cathedral and the Men Who Made Modern London

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About this listen

The remarkable and inspiring story of how London was transformed after the Great Fire of 1666 into the most powerful city in the world and the men who were responsible for that achievement.

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.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2011 Leo Hollis (P)2021 Orion Publishing Group Architecture Art & Literature Artists, Architects & Photographers Sociology Urban Emotionally Gripping England Middle Ages War

Critic reviews

"A tour de force of biography, history, politics, philosophy and experimental science." (Economist)

"Wonderfully rich and informative...a rare achievement." (Tom Holland)

"Fascinating." (Lucy Moore)
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Not only is this book written in beautiful prose, the subject matter is highly engaging. Whilst many may have read about the civil war, the plague, and the great fire of London, revisiting it through the focus of the men involved in restoring London was fascinating. I never knew that Wren, Hooke et al were such great polymaths and all individually fascinating. A lovely surprise of a book.

Beautifully written and highly engaging

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Sheer brilliance. A high watermark in group biography, the history of empirical science and philosophy and, at its centre, the reconstruction of the beating heart of London: St Paul’s Cathedral. Thank you for rei-igniting in me a sense of the joy of reading.
Dr Jane Starfield

Leo Hollis, The Phoenix

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