A brilliantly compelling portrayal of the five-day inferno that torched London. Following on his tremendously successful book, Custom of the Sea, Neil Hanson presents a new and thrilling narrative of the pivotal event that destroyed one of the world's great capital cities. The Great Fire of London depicts the heartfelt and inspiring human dramas that unfolded, drawing on firsthand accounts of aristocrats, tradesmen, and servants. It reveals the stories of many compelling figures, including diarist Samuel Pepys, who saw the early hours of the fire from the Tower of London, as well as Charles II and his brother, who helped the commoners thwart the flames. In an era when structures were built of wood with thatched roofs, before organized fire departments and insurance, the Great London Fire left in its aftermath a devastated population of homeless, poverty-stricken people who nevertheless found the strength and courage to rebuild their city from ashes.