"Samuel Pepys (1633-1703), perhaps the most famous Englishman of the Restoration and one of the greatest writers of any period, is brought to life in this new biography. Pepys was a man of boundless energy, intimately involved with the most important events of his tumultuous time. From humble beginnings as the son of a Cambridgeshire tailor, the ambitious Pepys rose to become a Member of Parliament and the Secretary to the Admiralty, commanding the Royal Navy during the Dutch War of 1672-74. His friends included the luminaries of the age, including Christopher Wren and Isaac Newton." "Of all his achievements, the diary Pepys kept is probably the most well-known. Begun in 1660, Pepys's daily chronicle of his life is an intricate portrait of his age. Stephen Coote carefully charts the enormous range of talent Pepys brought to all his endeavours, in both peace and war. Pepys's description of the Plague's toll on London, the Fire of London's devastation, and the brief but fateful reign of James II are not merely historical documents, but also masterpieces of English literature."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved