The King's City

November 27, 2017
Post-Cromwellian London bursts to life with the Stuart dynasty’s restoration in this effortless account from Jordan (The King’s Bed, with Michael Walsh) that covers the years 1660–1685. He aptly dubs it an “age of transformation.” London under Charles II gained a glamorous court, a revitalized theater scene, and long-sought status as a leading city of trade. Jordan’s fast-paced and enjoyable narrative shows how London both benefited from and suffered under the central government’s perennial economic mismanagement, in light of which the city’s successes in trade and science were even more impressive. The discoveries and achievements of Robert Hooke, Samuel Pepys, Christopher Wren, and other notable intellectuals provide moments of excitement and passion as they changed London into a modern city untethered from medieval architecture and earlier restrictions on scientific innovation. Jordan also steadfastly examines Londoners’ increasing involvement in the slave trade over this period and the blatant corruption permeating their city. London shined during the Enlightenment but suffered nearly simultaneous catastrophes in the form of plague and a massive fire before sinking into a temporary decline. Through it all Jordan stays on task, offering a fresh perspective and enthusiasm for the era’s events and London’s adaptable residents. Illus.

November 15, 2017
A history of the England that Charles II returned to in 1660 when he was restored to the throne.As Jordan (co-author: The King's Bed: Ambition and Intimacy in the Court of Charles II, 2016, etc.) shows in a lively history of an eventful period, the changes imposed by Oliver Cromwell and the Commonwealth were mostly erased. Charles wanted nothing to do with the impositions put on the theater, arts, literature, and sciences. When he returned to the throne, his Declaration of Breda set out the terms of the restoration of the monarchy. The restoration agreement didn't spell out the constitutional arrangement of governance, leaving the way open for Charles to attempt to renew the divine right of the king. The city was ready to throw off Puritan shackles and hoped for a more pro-parliament political stability. More playboy than king, Charles lacked talent in statecraft. It was an age of transformation, and Charles was constantly demanding money to fund his many mistresses and high tastes. This led him and his brother, the Duke of York, into the lucrative slave trade, as well as trade with India, helped along by his wife's dowry, which included Bombay. It was a desperate time as well. The twin disasters of plague and the great fire destroyed most of the city. The plague took 20 percent of the population, mostly the poor, who had no country houses to offer refuge, and the fire leveled most of London. Given the chance to redesign and rebuild, Christopher Wren, Robert Hooke, and Peter Mills stepped up with plans at the ready. It was also a great time for discovery. The Royal Society was founded and led by scientists like Newton, Locke, Hobbes, and even Margaret Cavendish. It was the end of Medieval London and beginning of a modern city, with Samuel Pepys recording it all in his diary.A wonderful picture of 17th-century England, replete with the excitement of ideas and discoveries and the beginnings of the empire.

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January 1, 2018

In the final book in a trilogy covering the reign of Charles II (1630-85), historian Jordan (White Cargo) examines the highs and lows that powered 17th-century London to become an influential city of modernity. While the Restoration period featured horrific events such as the plague and the Great Fire of London, the king's return to the city encouraged tremendous advances in the arts and sciences, revitalizing London and sparking transformation throughout England. The result was a rich and thriving society. Expanding upon the focus of the previous two books (The King's Revenge; The King's Bed) on the life and passions of Charles II, here Jordan demonstrates the importance of the king's and several other figures' roles in reforming London and, thereby, creating the opportunity for the British Empire, evidenced by the author's dedication to extensive research. While Ian Mortimer's The Time Traveler's Guide to Restoration Britain covers this time period, Jordan's work delves specifically into how Charles II's reign helped usher in the Restoration. VERDICT Jordan crafts a compelling narrative that provides an in-depth look at the personalities and events that shaped England's Restoration. Recommended for readers interested in British and royal history, as well as fans of historical fiction.--Katie McGaha, County of Los Angeles P.L.

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2017
The reign of Charles II in England, after his return to power following the Cromwell interregnum, was indeed crowded with tempestuous occurrencesincluding the trials and executions of the killers of Charles' fatherand extraordinary men (Samuel Pepys, Christopher Wren, John Dryden). This is the third book in a series, following The King's Revenge (2016) and The King's Bed (2016), both coauthored with Michael Walsh. Though densely written, this volume tells a remarkable story, evoking an era of fervent innovation in architecture, theater, and science (the work of Robert Boyle and Robert Hooke, in particular). It was also a time of culturally important trade in spices, furs, and slaves; of the Great Fire of London in 1666 and the city's rebuilding that followed the fire; and of rampant disease, including the bubonic plague. Jordan provides a virtual cross-section of late-seventeenth-century England in this narrative history of an unusual and critical time.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)