THE PRIVATE LIFE OF MR. PEPYS

by John Harold Wilson ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 26, 1959

After remarking disarmingly, in his preface, that Mr. Pepys was only a ""normal, healthy male animal"" whose amorous escapades were only interludes in a respected and hard-working life, the author of this biography then goes on to concentrate almost exclusively on these ""interludes"" with a somewhat patronizing snigger. Certainly Pepys' struggles to maintain at least the appearance of virtue, against the forces of natural predilection and of a distinctly bawdy world have their amusing side- but Pepys has already described them. And it seems rather unfair to take advantage of Pepys' own more than ordinarily honest account to turn him from Pepys into a Pepys-show. Still the material remains interesting, and readable, and there is the Plague and the Great Fire of London to liven it all up. The author is an old hand with colorful characters- Nell Gwynne, A Rake and His Times, All the King's Ladies- and a very contemporary account such as this may help to return readers to the original.

Pub Date: Oct. 26, 1959

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Cudahy

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1959

Categories: NONFICTION