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

by Leo Hollis

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.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, London, British Literature, Biography, Cities, Philosophy

368 pages, Hardcover

First published May 8, 2008

Reviews

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides a detailed overview of the events in London from the 1640's-1720. The lives of 5 men are the focus of the book: John Locke, Christopher Wren, John Evelyn, Nicholas Barbon and Robert Hooke. The Civil War is shown as the backdrop which shapes the childhoods and mindsets of these men. The central event of the book is the Great Fire of London; and the struggle to recreate the city. The book covers the reigns from King Charles II to King George I, the interactions between monarch, Church, and Parliament.

St. Paul's Cathedral becomes the main theme of the book. During the Republic it was abandoned and fell into decay. The Fire probably saved it from continued abuses, by partially demolishing it. Christopher Wren takes center stage as a founder of the Royal Society, astronomer, and architect. He was in charge of rebuilding all London parish churches, several palaces and great houses. He became Surveyor-General and was granted authority to rebuild the cathedral. His 40 year struggle is the theme of the book: to rebuild a new cathedral, to combine old and new styles, to get funding while only having slow progress, and using the cathedral to re-establish Stuart power and Anglican seperation from Rome.

Wren is buried in the crypt beheath the cathedral and his epitaph is perfect:
"Reader, if you seek his monument, look about you."

[Eliot Boden · Rating 4 out of 5]

No description I read about this book on the back cover really prepared me for the topic. It's more than a biography of notable historic figures, and far more than a history of the construction of St. Paul's Cathedral. London Rising tells the story of London's transformation from medieval town to mercantile city through the crucible of war, pestilence, and fire. It is a social, political, and scientific history of seventeenth-century England. Leo Hollis' book is a masterful blend of intriguing personalities (Charles II, John Locke, Robert Hooke, and - of course - Christopher Wren)and the fascinating events and ideas that launched the Enlightenment.

If you enjoy history told through the prism of monumental construction along the lines of Ross King's Brunelleschi's Dome, this book is for you! It also reminded me of Edward Donick's history of the mechanistic worldview championed by the Royal Society, The Clockwork Universe, although London Rising deals mostly with the decades leading up to Newton.

The only reason this is a 4-star rather than a 5-star review is because not enough background is provided in the beginning regarding the origins of the Civil War and a a few chapters near the end focus on the cathedral's final stages of construction and are slightly tedious.

[John Monro · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, first published in 2008, was one of four my wife gave me for my seventy-fifth birthday. At 350 pages (+references and index), with relatively small type, it is a book that needs a bit of effort to complete. Leo Hollis, the author, describes himself on his web page as "Author, urban historian and thinker". I might say I would have hoped all people who thought it fair on the reader to put their thoughts and ideas on paper should at least be a "thinker"? Be that as it may, Mr Hollis, an Englishman born in London in 1972, has written a number of books on historical London, and more recently on urbanisation generally. He gives talks and lectures and writes articles for newspapers and journals.

That wonderful edifice on Ludgate Hill in the City of London, St Paul's Cathedral, is the ostensible subject of this book, but it becomes almost a backdrop to Hollis's wider examination of these turbulent times in English history - the details of which make fascinating reading. We follow five shakers and movers. Sir Christopher Wren of course, architect, though initially he was an astronomer; John Locke, man of letters and philosopher; John Evelyn, diarist, prolific author, European traveller, courtier and gardener; Nicholas Barban - physician, greedy speculator, mercantilist and expert manipulator; finally Robert Hooke - polymath, scientist, planner, "Renaissance Man" who should perhaps be better known. Did I say turbulent times? Civil War, regicide, Cromwell and the Commonwealth, war with France, the Restoration, plague, the Great Fire of London, the Glorious Revolution, religious intolerance, and the beginnings of the Enlightenment and the relationship of Monarch, government and people - supreme authority or citizen authority?

Now if you are already familiar with these times and people then whether this book provides anything new or not, I am unable to say, but to interested and the historically less well informed reader, like myself, this book provides a very worthwhile panorama and time line of these amazing times. I think the main thesis of this book is that sometimes a disaster is a catalyst for change. The Great Fire of London is then this catalyst, around which all these figures, and of course hundreds of others we don't hear about, are the active ingredients. You could perhaps say that there are two countries being written about here - England before the Fire, and England after the Fire. Russia is in the news today, you could look at Russia, before the Wall, and after the Wall.

So the main thing is, did I enjoy this book? Yes, I did. Was it easy to read and well written, yes, I think so. The form of the book does make the material episodic in nature, but all episodes are well signalled. Perhaps the best thing about this writing was that whilst Hollis provides a comprehensive over-arching theme of change, the little details that he illustrates are wonderfully evocative. For instance, just to state one among many, the problems of obtaining Portland Stone for the fabric of the Cathedral - war and tempest, the tyranny of distance. There are many, many such snippets of information that bring this story to life and increase the wonder of what Sir Christopher Wren achieved.

[Donald · Rating 4 out of 5]

An uneven but ultimately very interesting read. Although it claims to deal with five men instrumental in rebuilding London, they are by no means treated equally. There's substantial parts where none of the five are involved which is good, because it means the book didn't gloss over the history purely for the narrative.

Wren is definitely first amongst equals, and Hooke and Evelyn both get substantial inspection because of the book's underlying focus on the "New Philosophers". However Barbon gets very short shrift compared to the other four and Locke feels like he's held at a distance to the rest because of his lack of hands on action, mainly involved as "he wrote this and that".

With those caveats it's definitely a book I found interesting, educational, and it held my attention very well, save for the last 100 pages or so dealing with Wren getting screwed around as it came to finishing St Paul's.

[Tracey Sinclair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-researched and absorbing - if so densely written it's hard to read a lot at one time - this book looks at London in the 1660s-1700s, encompassing the Plague & Great Fire. Superficially, it's about St Paul's, but in fact examines the far broader background to the rebuilding. Will make you want to go wander round the Cathedral, and do a tour of Wren's churches. Recommended. http://www.bytethebook.com/recommenda...

[Sof · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant read and backstory of how this incredible masterpiece was built.

[Dean Burke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a broad church of a book, offering rich insights into London’s politics, design, and context during the city’s rebirth. Hollis focuses on five men who drove the rebuilding after the Great Fire, though I found coverage of the Church itself surprisingly limited. At times the book felt lengthy, but by the end I came away with a deeper understanding of London, the Restoration, and the story of St Paul’s.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

讓我讀得很疲勞的一本書，也許不是書的錯，是我從小就有沾到歷史就疲勞的毛病。
這本書透過幾個當時的主要人物，呈現倫敦16xx-17xx年的社會環境變化，但前半段的鋪陳讓我很累，後半段才有點故事性。
理論上，這本書內容應該是精彩的。但我真的很疲勞啊！

[Hollie · Rating 3 out of 5]

LONG but interesting book about Christopher Wren and several contemporaries. Good presentation at 7s and author answered questions. February 2023 7s.

[Sheela Word · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Phoenix" is a very well-written treatise about London between about 1640 to 1710. A city destroyed by fire and plague is not only restored but transformed, thanks largely to the efforts of five men: Christopher Wren, who oversaw the redesign and reconstruction of St. Paul's Cathedral; John Locke, whose brilliant philosophical treatises engendered the human rights we live by today; Robert Boyle, whose contributions as a scientist and architect cannot be overstated; John Evelyn, who founded the Royal Society and kept meticulous diaries of his life and times; and Nicholas Barbon, whose real-estate investments changed the face of London--and whose forays into speculation, insurance, and banking revolutionized business practices.

This was a critical time during which the divine right of kings was challenged and the seeds of democracy were sown. I learned so much.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books covers a rather intense period of English history when it seemed that society itself would fall apart. Reading the opening chapter the I was struck by several parallels between 17th century England and early 21st century America. Once again the issues of religion and the course of the nation drove the English people to take sides and ultimately remove and beheaded Charles the First. It also was a time of great intellectual upheaval as well. Instead of Anglican versus Catholic
it became Puritan versus Anglican. In order to avoid a large survey focus the author focuses on 5 men and their participation in the remaking of the London after the Great Fire. This approach more or less
works.

[Anne Siddell · Rating 4 out of 5]

My knowledge of the Stuart monarchy and the civil war is rather limited and I found this a fascinating insight into the society and politics of the seventeenth and early eighteenth century, told through the careers of five prominent men and with the destruction and reconstruction of St Paul's cathedral providing a narrative thread. That device produces the occasional non sequitur, and I felt my eyes glazing over during the descriptions of the architectural features which occupy much of the last 30 pages or so, but the book gives a great overview of the seismic shifts that took place during this period.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thorough view of London becoming a city and views of the men who shaped the city. The wavering storyline is sometimes distracting-shifts from Wren to Locke, to James II randomly. The organization could be better. Yet, it covers everything. But in covering everything it surely tires the reader. At one point I took a break and re-read Locke's Essay on Human Understanding just to give myself a rest and focus on one thing instead of 15. Next on my list is Newton's Principia.

[Steve Chilton · Rating 2 out of 5]

The life stories of the main characters, Wren, Hooke, etc were interesting, but the quotes and references weighed the book down for me. I was more interested in the development of London at the time - after the Great Fire - than the politics and social stuff behind it all. Although there were a few illustrations I also felt that for a book with such a strong architectural slant that more of the buildings and stories detailed should have had illustrations to help envisage them.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, good, but not great.

This tells the story how few people re-made London after the Great Fire of 1666 and in large part the London/Greater London we see today. They were influential in science, architecture and philosophy. All members of the elite Royal Society, who were given a chance after the Civil War. My favorite is Christopher Wren who built Greenwich Hospital, modified Hampton Court and Westminster, built over 50 churches in London and his crowning glory St. Pauls.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an excellent work of scholarship, but I found it a heavy-going read. I can only point to one reason for this: in spite of my interest in the era, Christopher Wren is the only character I found fascinating from start to finish; the other subjects of the book simply didn't hold my interest to a similar degree. Chalk this rating up to the fancies of personal preference.

[Lauren Albert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the book rather dull and the long sections of architectural detail tedious (especially without pictures to help those who can't visualize such things!). Like another reviewer said, it seemed disorganized--jumping back and forth between the main protagonists.

[David Eppenstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book not meant for the casual reader. This book will be enjoyed by the student of English history, architectural history and city planning. Its about Christopher Wren's re-build of London and St. Paul's after the Great Fire of 1666.

[Trevor Holcroft · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read. Quite revealing, not just for the work of Wren and Hooke which I knew about but for introducing me to the life of property developer Nicholas Barbon.

[Michael Pryor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thorough, assured, inspiring.

[Raving Redcoat · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating look at how the rebuilding of London after the Great Fire paralleled the reorganization of English society during the same time. A bit of a slog at times, but well worth reading.

[Hillary]

Not bad, but not as good as other books I've read about these people/period.