Samuel Pepys

The 1660s represent a turning point in English history, and for the main events—the Restoration, the Dutch War, the Great Plague and the Fire of London—Pepys provides a definitive eyewitness account, along with lively descriptions of his socialising, his amorous entanglements, his theatre-going and music-making. Unequalled for its frankness, high spirits and sharp observations, the diary is both a literary...

The most famous diarist in the English language, Samuel Pepys, kept a detailed record of his daily life between 1660 and 1669. Not only is it a key historical resource, but also a fascinating and entertaining read. Kate Loveman's selection, with helpful footnotes, is the only one-volume edition available. When Samuel Pepys (1633-1703) began writing in 1660, he was a...

Little Black Classics - the new series to celebrate Penguin's 80th anniversary The Great Fire of London by Samuel Pepys features this poignant excerpt: 'With one's face in the wind you were almost burned with a shower of Firedrops'. A selection from Pepys' startlingly vivid and candid diary, it includes his famous account of the Great Fire. Introducing Little Black...