London Rising

April 28, 2008
London in the mid-17th century remained a medieval city. The civil war, a plague that claimed 100,000 lives and the Great Fire of 1666 would have been sufficient to send it back to the Dark Ages. Instead, London was transformed into a modern metropolis. A history of such a city during that most tumultuous of centuries is a massive undertaking, but in his first book, Hollis controls the narrative by focusing on the five figures who best represent the spirit of the age. John Locke, the philosopher, outlined a daring theory of universal natural rights; social observer John Evelyn grappled with the specific meaning of Englishness; real estate developer and speculator Nicholas Barbon rebuilt the center of London (with designs by the scientific polymath Robert Hooke); and lastly, Christopher Wren, who created St. Paul's Cathedral, eternal symbol of the glittering city. Hollis admirably succeeds in explaining the complex issues and events of the time, though he tends to assume his readers have intimate knowledge of London geography. Even so, his book presents an engrossing and perceptive take on the birth of one of the world's great cities. 16 pages of b&w photos and photos throughout.

April 15, 2008
Seventeenth-century London was the nexus of new experiments in philosophy, politics, and architecture, all of which culminated in its development as a modern city. Hollis traces the progress of London through revolution, restoration, plague, the great fire of 1666, and the city's rebirth, exploring many themes, including the practice of New Philosophy (active science) and the rise of the architectural profession in relation to the politics of rebuilding London after the fire. Hollis identifies five men as playing an important role in London's rebuilding. Their contributions are already well known, however, so the author's purpose in reiterating their importance here is not clear. The men are philosopher John Locke, whose time in London transformed him "into a man of ideas and action"; John Evelyn, best known for his extensive diaries, who helped introduce ancient concepts of architecture to England; Robert Hooke, the scientist and architect who surveyed London after the fire; Nicholas Barbon, a developer and land speculator whose lasting contribution to modern society is fire insurance; and the architect, astronomer, and scientist Christopher Wren, whose vision for rebuilding St. Paul's Cathedral has forever marked London. Hollis provides an extensive bibliography, but his narrative is far from gripping. The book may appeal to academic libraries, although they are not likely to lack good books on these men.Margaret Atwater-Singer, Univ. of Evansville Libs., Indiana

Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from May 1, 2008
By 1670, London had endured several decades of hell. The ravages of the English Civil War had depressed English commerce and led tomassive growth of the poor, urban population. The infrastructure, even by seventeenth-century standards, was rotting, and the streets, usually unpaved, became swamps when heavy rains struck. In 1665, a recurrence of the plague killed as many as 100,000 people. The next year, the Great Fire destroyed much of the central city. Yet, a century later, London could justifiably be considered a great metropolis at the center of a thriving commercial empire. According to Hollis, a London native, this renaissance can be credited substantially to the vision and talents of five men. The political philosopher John Locke proposed theories that unleashed the powers of individual liberty and creativity. Robert Hooke used mathematics and the new science to design a new concept of urban development. Nicholas Barbon, a developer on the make, used his entrepreneurial skills to rebuild and expand the city. John Evelyn was a prolific writer whose prose brought attention to such contemporary topics as urban pollution. Finally, Christopher Wren, the great architect, designed the buildings that came to symbolize the rebirth of a great city. This is an engrossing account of the rise of a great city and of some of the men who made it happen.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)