London on Fire: A Great City at the time of the Great Fire

Description

Welcome to London in the late 17th century. After years of Civil War and repressive Puritan rule, King Charles II is back in town and his restoration has brought new life to this great city. The theatres are open again, markets and shops are thriving and the streets are crowded. People are talking about new ideas in science and architecture and experimenting with new fashions. This book takes you on a journey across London at this time, telling you about its 'five-star' sights and their history. It also explains the key events of the time: the reasons for the Restoration, the arrival of the Plague and, of course, the Great Fire of 1666 and the new London that arose out of its ashes. Published to coincide with the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire, this book gives older children a much broader context for this famous event. With a mixture of maps, archive images and present day photography, it acts as a wonderful guide both to London in the 1660s and how its legacy can still be found in the capital today. London on Fire is an ideal resource for readers aged 10+ and supports the history curriculum at Key Stage 3.

John. C Miles began his fascinating journey of discovery in Toronto, Canada where he trained as a classical musician. Moving to the UK, he spent many years as a parasite on the broad back of London whilst working as a children's non-fiction editor. Like Anthony a Wood, he is a snapper up of unconsidered historical trifles and has spent many years studying the past and wondering how and why. He now lives near Bath, growing parsnips, taking photographs with his collection of vintage film cameras and dressing as an 18th-century pirate.

The book vividly describes [the] Great Fire of 1666, the way Londoners fought it and the new London that arose out of its ashes ... an excellent way for pupils to see the impact of the fire, and to really gain an insight into society of the time; it's superbly illustrated with plenty of source material, helping students to see the full value of this * Parents In Touch *