Harold F. Hutchison (1900–1975)

I would have loved to live in Europe during the seventeenth century: as long as I came from money, of course!

Sir Christopher was trained as an astronomer, made his living as such for several years and then, became an architect. I am in awe of the way these chaps chopped and changed their focus during their career. This is so different from today when one specialises from an early age. Can one seriously imagine the reaction were an astronomer to suggest the design for a major building today? And yet, if we had dismissed Wren, we would have lost the delights of the Royal Naval College at Greenwich, the Royal Hospital Chelsea and St Paul's Cathedral. These people did not know their limits and, because of this, seemed to have none.

This book does not exactly flow, but it does ooze a love of its subject for which, I can forgive it any small faults of style.… (mais)

979 The Hollow Crown: A Life of Richard II, by Harold F. Hutchison (read 23 Nov 1968) I found this quite a fascinating book. Richard II was born Jan 6, 1367, at Bordeaux, the son of the Black Prince and the grandson of King Edward III. On June 21, 1377, Edward III died and Richard II succeeded. This book is quite an apologia for him, and yet is, I think, very interesting history. Maybe because I at the time I read this knew so little of the period. How, during Wat Tyler's revolt in 1381, Richard II said: "Let me be your leader," how the Lords Appellant killed Richard's friends in 1388, how Richard plotted and took revenge, how Henry Bolingbroke was deprived of his inheritance (he was John of Gaunt's heir) and then beat Richard and became Henry IV. After reading this fun book I said I should read more English history, since it really seems I knew little, despite having had a college course on English history about 20 years before I read this book.… (mais)