Sir Christopher Wren : $b Scientist, scholar and architect

This compact study offers a lively portrait of one of England’s most versatile figures, whose career spanned more than seventy years. From a teenage inventor of a weather‑clock to the creator of a celebrated theory of trigonometry, the narrative follows his early brilliance and his relentless curiosity, leading eventually to the grand churches and civic buildings that still dominate London’s skyline. Rather than a strict chronology, the author weaves together anecdotes, scientific sketches, and personal letters to reveal a man who combined mathematical precision with artistic vision, all while shunning the limelight of publication.

The book draws heavily on the family memoirs known as the Parentalia, supplemented by rare drawings and correspondence that bring Wren’s private thoughts into focus. By foregrounding his modesty, his gentlemanly demeanor, and his relentless problem‑solving, the work paints a picture of a thinker who was as comfortable with celestial mechanics as he was with stone and mortar. Listeners will come away with a richer sense of why this “English Leonardo” remains a touchstone for both architecture and science.