Enter the life and remarkable times of the lovable Samuel Pepys (pronounced "peeps"). Born in London in 1633, the son of a tailor, he began keeping a diary on January 1, 1660, and continued for nine years, faithfully recording the rich and varied details of 17th-century London life. Writing in a form of shorthand—which was not deciphered until 1825—he also painted a vivid picture of Pepys the man.

In entries from 1660 through 1663, Pepys strives to establish himself in his career and in society. His unforgettable eyewitness accounts of the Plague and the Great Fire of London follow. The last diaries, dated 1667 through 1669, Pepys is enjoying his position as a surveyor-general in the Royal Navy—and having an affair with his wife's servant. Uniquely uninhibited, deeply personal, full of wit and style, Pepy's Diary is a biographical masterpiece.