• Title: Brief Lives
• Author: John Aubrey
• Genre/Subject: English biographical literature
• Publisher: Kindle
• Publication Date: 1690
• Start date: 10/18/2021
• Finish date: 10/24/2021

Review:

Exactly what the title suggests, brief little biographies of 17th century notables.

Walter Raleigh, William Harvey, Inigo Jones, and a major section dedicate to Thomas Hobbes.

Despite the age of this book the prose is clean and concise. Aubrey also blends in plenty of juicy gossip with the biographical data. My favorite was something like “He retained a young and comely housekeeper to tend to his needs in the same manner as the aged King David.” Wink wink, nudge nudge.

I learned a lot, particularly about Thomas Hobbes, whom I knew nothing about previously. Well worth the effort to read this little volume.