The Curious World of Samuel Pepys and John Evelyn

An intimate portrait of two pivotal Restoration figures during one of the most dramatic periods of English history

The Curious World of Samuel Pepys and John Evelyn by Margaret Willes offers the first full portrait of the friendship between two celebrated English diarists, Samuel Pepys and John Evelyn, transforming our understanding of their times. These extraordinary men were not just close friends, but they also epitomised the intellectual spirit of the era.

Pepys, known for his earthy and shrewd nature, contrasted with Evelyn, a genteel aesthete. Despite their differing personalities, both were united by their passion for intellectual pursuits. Their work to alleviate the plight of sailors caught up in the Dutch wars brought them together, sharing an inexhaustible curiosity for life and the exotic.

Willes delves into their mutual interests—diary-keeping, science, travel, and a love of books—while also exploring their divergent enthusiasms, such as Pepys' love for theatre and music, and Evelyn's passion for horticulture and garden design.

Through the richly documented lives of these two remarkable men, Willes revisits the history of London and England in an age marked by regicide, revolution, fire, and plague, revealing it as a time of enthralling possibility.