| Brief Lives Contributor(s): Aubrey, John (Author), Barber, Richard (Author), Barber, Richard (Editor) |
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ISBN: 1843831120 ISBN-13: 9781843831129 Publisher: Boydell Press OUR PRICE: $35.10 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: October 2004 Annotation: John Aubrey's racy portraits of the great figures of 17th-centuryEngland stand alongside Pepys's diary as a vivid evocation of theperiod. Aubrey was born in 1626, the son of a Wiltshire squire; at theage of 26 he inherited a family estate encumbered with debt, andfinally went bankrupt in the 1670s. From then on he led a sociable, rootless existence at the houses of friends - from Oxford and theMiddle Temple -pursuing the antiquarian studies which had alwaysobsessed him. At his death in 1697 he left a mass of notes andmanuscripts, among them the material for Brief Lives. He nevermanaged to put even a single life into logical order; all we have arethe raw materials, scribbled down -tumultuously as they occurred to mythoughts'. With this full, modern English edition, whichreproduces Aubrey's words as closely as possible, Richard Barberintroduces us to Aubrey and his world, tells how the Lives cameinto being and enables many new readers to enjoy this eccentricmasterpiece. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Biography & Autobiography | Historical - History | Europe - Great Britain - General - Biography & Autobiography | Reference |
| Dewey: B |
| LCCN: 2004016562 |
| Series: First Person Singular |
| Physical Information: 0.98" H x 6.1" W x 8.44" (0.96 lbs) 336 pages |
| Themes: - Chronological Period - 16th Century - Chronological Period - 17th Century - Cultural Region - British Isles |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: John Aubrey's racy portraits of the great figures of 17th-century England stand alongside Pepys's diary as a vivid evocation of the period. Aubrey was born in 1626, the son of a Wiltshire squire; at the age of 26 he inherited a family estate encumbered with debt, and finally went bankrupt in the 1670s. From then on he led a sociable, rootless existence at the houses of friends - from Oxford and the Middle Temple -pursuing the antiquarian studies which had always obsessed him. At his death in 1697 he left a mass of notes and manuscripts, among them the material for 'Brief Lives'. He never managed to put even a single life into logical order; all we have are the raw materials, scribbled down - tumultuously as they occurred to my thoughts'. With this full, modern English edition, which reproduces Aubrey's words as closely as possible, Richard Barber introduces us to Aubrey and his world, tells how the 'Lives' came into being and enables many new readers to enjoy this eccentric masterpiece. |
Contributor Bio(s): Barber, Richard: - Richard Barber has published widely on medieval history. The Knight and Chivalry won the 1971 Somerset Maugham Award. His other major interest is historical biography with books on Henry Plantagenet and the Black Prince. His most recent book is Edward III and the Triumph of England: The Battle of Crécy and the Order of the Garter. |