Review of Aubrey's Brief Lives (Nonpareil Books, No 77)

If John Aubrey were alive today, I imagine it'd be fantastically entertaining to have a conversation with him down at the local watering hole, be it coffeehouse, pub, or disreputable tavern. He collected juicy bits of gossip the way some folk hoard stamps or comic books, and this book is a treasure-house of anecdotes regarding notable Elizabethan figures. You'll read about the naughty hijinks of Sir Walter Raleigh, the ill-timed fart that sent an earl into self-imposed exile for seven years, the very dumb death of a very smart man, and the unforgettable episode of the coffin liquor. Yes, you read that correctly.. coffin liquor.

P. S. Don't miss Oliver Lawson Dick's sparkling biographical essay of Aubrey in this edition. Great stuff.