Description
Tales of History & Adventure
When London Burned
Setting: 1660’s – London.
Story: The 1660s were a time of turmoil in England: Cromwell had been defeated and Charles II, who was sympathetic to the Catholics, was restored to the throne; the Dutch declared war on England; the Plague raged; and the Great Fire of London destroyed half the city! Our hero, Cyril, at the death of his father Sir Aubrey Shenstone, inherits nothing except his father’s title, and works as a bookkeeper for various London tradesmen. Honest, hardworking, and quick-thinking, he uncovers the plots of thieves, diverts a fire-ship in a sea-battle, serves as a doctor’s assistant during the Plague, and prevents the murder of one of his friends. Wounded in the sea-battle, and later contracting the Plague, he survives all and receives back as a gift, the estates that his father had lost.
When people ask us for recommendations for good books for boys, our first thought is usually G.A. Henty. Why? His heroes are fantastic role models of the manly virtues, yet likeable and adventurous and every bit of the history you learn is real. Henty was an Army officer, war correspondent, a historian who began telling these stories to his own children. He was known for writing with stacks of primary source documents surrounding him and you’ll be hard pressed to find a historical error of any kind. And they are just plain fun!
Written in the late 1900s, the language can be a bit challenging for some boys (but it’s so good for them), so we recommend audiobooks! Our friend Jim Hodges does a wonderful unabridged version (you don’t want to miss a word!) and we are delighted to sell them!
These are the books the Youngs grew up on — enjoy!
~Hal & Melanie Young
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