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London and the Seventeenth Century

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Member Reviews

A thorough overview of a period with which I was not very familiar. Some sections (particularly politics/the Civil War) seemed to stray from London, and I most enjoyed the parts about London's society and industries. This book is a good introduction to 17th-century English history and brought up some topics and people I would like to read more about.

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I want to thank netgalley and Yale University press for this ARC.

I have been interested in how British society has been mainly because they were our colonial overlords. Knowing how the common people lived, the civil war and the plague were major parts of this book.

I recommend this to anyone looking for British history.

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I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. This is a really good book. it kept me interested until the end and I even felt like I learned something a nice bonus. Highly recommend.

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A fascinating history with stories of London from 1600-1700 woven together. More maps and illustrations would have made it a 5-star read for me.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

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Not many non-fiction, historical books are written from a common-person perspective. Mostly, their literacy rates were low so its hard to gather their first hand accounts. However, this was a fascinating look at their lives and how the politics of the age played a role.

This is such an interesting era filled with Shakespeare and religious tensions still permeating throughout the political turmoil of the crown. I am not a huge fan of Oliver Cromwell and the English Civil War, so those parts I moved through quickly. But the sentiment is one that follows us through history; the large working-class overcoming the over-indulgences of the ruling-class. We can still see lessons of the English Civil War playing out in American and British society.

But, it was a good non-fiction novel on a fascinating time in London history.

Thanks to NetGalley and the author for a free digital copy for review. All opinions are my own and receiving a free copy in no way played a role in my thoughts and opinions.

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As an American Anglophile, I am more familiar with the drama of the Tudor Era than any other period. I did know a little from Samuel Pepys’ diary, but that was all. Boy, have I been missing out on a lot of great stuff! From the death of Queen Elizabeth I, through a Civil War (and beheading of a king), to the Great Fire, to the expansion of trade and the beginning of the Empire, to life in the most important city in the Western world. This book is very informative, exceedingly enjoyable, and written by someone who obviously loves London.

There is far too much included in this work for me to summarize. It is intelligently arranged, easy to follow and understand throughout. I highly recommend this book to Anglophiles and want-to-be Londoners everywhere. I am glad that I get to read about seventeen-century London and did not have to live there — I would not have made good peasant stock.

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An excellent overview of London during this fascinating century. The author balanced good coverage of all the major political events from the gunpowder plot, civil war, reformation and the glorious revolution and more, with a lot of detail about life in the city. Work, travel, rebuilding, immigration, religion, disease, coffee houses, leisure, science, every corner of life is touched on. Informative and entertaining, the book was well written and an easy read

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A fascinating account of a city I thought a knew well. Full of interesting details brought to life with good stories, a strong narrative, and excellent writing.

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4 stars

A rich portrayal of a city—the people, politics, crime, trade, climate, urban development, religion, & more—in a period of great change. I learned a lot, & thoroughly enjoyed reading the narrative.

[What I liked:]

•Lots of details & factual information, but this is told in a narrative style that’s not dry or boring.

•In a sense this book covers a broad topic: a full century of history, exploring complex subjects including politics, civil war, trade, urban development, religious conflict, and more. Yet the narrative didn’t feel unfocused or rambling. The writer wove the topics together, connecting them & showing how they influenced one another to shape the city,

•This was a very interesting time in history, a period of rapid change, the outcomes of which (politically, religiously, economically) shaped later centuries of British history & influenced international trade & relations, as well as the history of British colonies around the world.


[What I didn’t like as much:]

•The narrative seems a bit biased towards Cromwell & against the monarch. I mean, fair criticisms against the monarchy & the way it treated London citizens. Yet I’m just not a Cromwell fan either, so seeing him in a sympathetic light made me a bit skeptical. I am, of course, biased here. It’s just my own inexpert opinion that both Cromwell & the monarchy equally sucked.

[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]

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Very interesting history of London and how events impacted on the city and its population. Lincoln doesn't just stick to known historical figures such as Pepys and Shakespeare, she has also researched wills, letters and diaries to try and show the ordinary person's experience. This is a scholarly read rather than an introductory one on the subject.

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Thank you for the chance to read this book in exchange for honest feedback. I now have this in print. I am so glad to have the chance to read this one! It's an incredibly informative account of a dynamic point in English history. Particularly, I thought that this book did an excellent job of exploring different accounts of historical events. There are a handful of things that history buffs could list about the time period, but this book also expands in this area. The amount of resources utilized shows a well-researched account. I am very glad to say that I would highly suggest this to any reader.

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A very thorough and engaging deep dive into London during its most defining century. Lincoln seemingly leaves no stone unturned in her quest to fully explore the (arguably) most important city in the world at the (arguably) most important time in its history. A very informative and enjoyable journey through the cause and effect relationships that created the identity of city over the course of 100 years.

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There is a decent chance that what you might like to know about 17th Century life in London can be found in this book. Politics, economics, religion, health, immigration, science, entertainment, the roles of women, coffee houses and more. The book is exhaustive, but not at all exhausting. It's very well written. Lincoln's depiction of events leading to Charles I's beheading and James II's overthrow - distrust, rumor, false news, paranoia - sounds downright modern (as does so much history when you get into the details). The London of 1700 would probably be disorienting to a citizen from 1600 as Margarette Lincoln shows in this book.

There is a good bibliography and extensive index. The one thing missing from the advanced readers copy is a map which would be so helpful.

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London and the 17th Century was an interesting and informative read overall. Plague! War! Fire! Revolution! Sounds like signs of the apocalypse. No, this was London in the 17th century and what a fantastic informative book to read for a lay person as well as a historical scholar.
Very well written and fantastic.

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I am a kind of person that very fond of history and I am so thrilled to know the story of London to be a greatest city in the world. It is very well written as if I can trace back to London in the 17 th century. Thank you for making this book happen to us..

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This is a very well researched and comprehensive tome on London in the Seventeenth Century. The book begins at the end of the Tudor reign and the beginning of the Stuart. It also begins with various themes and questions that would haunt the century and its people again and again. The role of the Monarchy and of Parliament was one huge thorny issue that mid century ended up with a regicide and a Commonwealth experiment. It would not end either with the Restoration, largely in part due to the second most thorny issue of the century- religion.. it would not end with the turn of the century.

For London, it was a time when she first came into her prominence. It was a turbulent time and almost every disaster that could befall a city found its way to the capital. From plots, to plagues, from wars to fire and much more, London arose like a phoenix and became the style maker and fortune maker to many. It was a time of change and as we all know, change can be violent and harsh. But in the end, the beginnings of the London we know, and love, were founded in this century.

It also became a centre of art and science much of which changed the world forever. It was not a century in which I would have liked to have lived, but reading about it is very interesting. If you are looking for a quick fix, this is not your book. However, if you are looking for a scholarly yet fast moving text, check it out.

Four purrs and two paws up.

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this was good!! I think it’d be good for the scholar (ex: me, I’m majoring in medieval history), but it’s easy enough to follow that someone who’s just interested in british history would enjoy it and be able to keep up.

I like how balanced it was — the author always looked at multiple perspectives for one event or issue. it went chronologically, which was really helpful for the overall flow!

I was only able to read about 50% before it was archived and I was overrun with other books to read, so I won’t be reviewing it on any retailer sites since I won’t be able to provide a full, honest review.

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Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

London and the Seventeenth Century is fantastic survey of Stuart London. It was a period of continual change and upheaval, and Lincoln does a wonderful job of setting the scene and bringing London to life. The tone is accessible and easy to read, and it doesn't linger on any one subject. I would recommend this for anyone looking for an introduction to the period!

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London and the Seventeenth Century: The Making of the World's Greatest City
by Margarette Lincoln

Relying on descriptive skill, contemporaneous accounts, and engaging insights, Margarette Lincoln presents the people, economies, concerns, and contradictions of seventeenth century London. In an era when church towers dominated the skyline, matters of faith and pursuits of the flesh drove the citizenry to foment rebellions and indulge in the innumerable pleasures available to them. James I, the first Stuart monarch, was succeeded by his second son Charles, whose death upon the scaffold brought the dynasty to a temporary conclusion. A detailed presentation of the volatile Interregnum, which its many contradictions of puritanical politics and economic thrust, is followed by the Restoration.
Like his father, the second Charles understood the imagery of kingship—as well as the high costs of rigidity and raising the displeasure of the populace. Coronation swag, one learns, is no new thing, neither is the royal interest in fostering positive and powerful imagery of kingship. Tested by years of exile, Charles confronted plague, fire, and wars, while many of his subjects sought entertainment in playhouses and coffee houses, and others pursued scientific investigations. The author devotes significant attention to the crucial shipping trade and the expansion of commerce to the Indies, East and West. His busy reign was succeeded by his Roman Catholic brother’s very brief one, and on the accession of his nephew and niece, William and Mary, Parliament’s power was reinforced, and the nation’s purse was directed to the Continental war, a preoccupation of the Dutch-born king. This monumental achievement in research and presentation brings to life a fascinating and extremely turbulent era in the life of this great and influential city. (February 23, 2021, Yale University Press, hardcover/ebook, 384 pp.)

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Well, if time travels are available one day, this book will be the must read before diving into London, 17th century.
Informative, never boring, anyone, from the student to the "just curious" will find at least several chapters to reflect upon what used to be, or really ? since many traits are still existing today. (Iconic locations and behaviours).
This book is also a must read for any today's visitor to London, or anyone dealing with business (The City) , arts,etc in English.
I received a copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.

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