The 1660s were a turbulent period in London's history. The monarchy was restored in 1660, plague hit five years later, killing a quarter of the populace, followed by the Great Fire of 1666. A Journal of the Plague Year tells the story of the second of these. While not strictly the first-person accont Daniel Defoe claims, it is quite possible that A Journal of the Plague Year was based on the diaries of his uncle, Henry Foe, a saddler, and backed up by thorough research. He details the progress of the plague through London's districts, how the city attempted to fight it, and describes the horror of carts piled high with the dead. He also examines the distressing effect of the disease on the human psyche, personified by Solomon Eagle, renowned for parading naked with a burning pan of charcoal on his head, denouncing the sins of the city. Wheter novel or history or something in between, the Journal is packed with incident and insight, as well as statistics and intriguing facts, making a brilliant account of a city dans its people in a terrible time.

Auteur

Daniel Defoe

Éditeur

ARCTURUS

ISBN

9781839400766

Année de publication

2024

Catégorie

Histoire

Nombre de pages

208

Condition

Très bon état