Showing results by author "James Boswell" in All Categories

Charming, vibrant, witty and edifying, The Life of Samuel Johnson is a work of great obsession and boundless reverence. The literary critic Samuel Johnson was 54 when he first encountered Boswell; the friendship that developed spawned one of the greatest biographies in the history of world literature. The book is full of humorous anecdote and rich characterization, and paints a vivid picture of 18th-century London, peopled by prominent personalities of the time.

Boswell's famous work on the life of his admired friend Johnson, the formidable poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer, is a milestone in the development of biographical writing, a treasure-house of Johnson's witticisms and opinions, and a window on his social circle that is packed with incidental detail of 18th-century life and concerns.This second of four volumes covers the years 1764-1776. (Summary by Philippa)

This is the fourth volume of the Biography of Samuel Johnson. Samuel Johnson's Life has been documented in great detail by his friends, this biography being originally published by James Boswell, and then edited several times by other persons, such as John Croker, who have been friends of both Samuel Johnson as well as James Boswell. Already famous during his life time, Samuel Johnson's biography attracted considerable attention when it was published after Johnson's death, and continues to be read until today.

This is the first of four volumes of a what was a new, intimate, type of biography when it was first published in 1791 and which has been annotated by numerous editors . Boswell took many notes of Johnson's conversations during the time when he knew one of England's most influential men of letters and he also gives us frequent glimpses of other famous personalities who were part of Johnson's circle in eighteenth century London. - Summary by barbara2

This is the third volume of the Biography of Samuel Johnson. Samuel Johnson's Life has been documented in great detail by his friends, this biography being originally published by James Boswell, and then edited several times by other persons, such as John Croker, who have been friends of both Samuel Johnson as well as James Boswell. Already famous during his life time, Samuel Johnson's biography attracted considerable attention when it was published after Johnson's death, and continues to be read until today.

Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson is widely considered to be the greatest English-language biography ever written. It was revolutionary in its efforts to represent Johnson as he was, celebrating his flaws as well as his genius, and in Boswell's decision to represent Johnson primarily by quoting his writings and relating personal anecdotes rather than relying on matters of public record. From the time of its publication till now, The Life of Johnson has been one of the most popular and influential books ever written. (Summary by Kirsten Ferreri.) N.B. This recording does not include the Preface,...

This is the second of four volumes of a what was a new, intimate, type of biography when it was first published in 1791 and which has been annotated by numerous editors . This edition with footnotes is by George Birbeck Hill. Boswell took many notes of Johnson's conversations during the time when he knew one of England's most influential men of letters and he also gives us frequent glimpses of other famous personalities who were part of Johnson's circle in eighteenth century London. - Summary by barbara2

Initially published in 1775, A Journey to the Western Isles recounts a three-month trip to upper Scotland that Samuel Johnson undertook with James Boswell a couple of years previously. During their adventure, they discover a novel culture, stunning landscapes and welcoming locals – all described in Johnson's captivating prose.

Between the years of 1762 and 1763, James Boswell kept a journal of his time in London. During his time, he met the renowned writer, moralist, and lexicographer Samuel Johnson, with whom Boswell would form a close relationship. This account, told with much detail and candor, was one of the various journals written by Boswell, but it is the journal that has undergone the least amount of censorship, leading it, and the racy material within, to be deemed a best seller upon publication.

James Boswell forever changed the genre of biography when he painstakingly transformed a scholarly profusion of detail into a perceptive, lifelike portrait of Dr. Samuel Johnson. James Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson reveals a man of outsized appetites and private vulnerabilities and is the source of much of what we know about one of the towering figures of English literature.

Dramatisation by Robin Brooks of James Boswell's biography of Samuel Johnson, to celebrate the 300th anniversary of Johnson's birth. Episode 1: Young Boswell comes to London to seek out his hero. He wants to write a biography of the great man 'in scenes', with Johnson's conversation cast as...

This book is considered by many to be the finest literary biography ever published. Samuel Johnson was the leading literary scholar and critic of his age, helping to define the Augustan Age of English Literature. He is as celebrated for his brilliant conversation as he is for his writing.

Boswell's biography of his friend and hero Samuel Johnson is an acknowledged classic, full of humorous anecdote and rich characterization. Johnson's complex humanity (his depression, fear of death, intellectual brilliance and rough humor) is set within a vivid picture of 18th century London peopled by personalities of the time.

In 1762 James Boswell, then 22 years old, left Edinburgh for London. The famous Journal he kept during the next nine months is an intimate account of his encounters with the high-life and the low-life in London. Frank and confessional as a personal portrait of the young Boswell, the Journal is also revealing as a vivid portrayal of life in 18th-century London.

Stellen Sie sich vor: Ein begeisterungsfähiger junger Mann trifft auf einen Gelehrten, den er abgöttisch bewundert. Über Jahrzehnte begleitet er ihn und hält alles, was sein Idol tut oder sagt, akribisch fest: Wen er besucht, was er isst, mit wem, was dabei geredet wird Stellen Sie sich vor, der Gelehrte sei geistreich, umfassend gebildet, aufbrausend, schlagfertig, ein höchst widersprüchlicher, freier und faszinierender Geist. Und der junge Mann sei empfindsam und nicht ohne Humor.

In 1762, 22-year old James Boswell left Edinburg for London. This portion of his personal journals documents the nine months that followed. Filled with detail, description, and zest for life, Boswell's London Journal provides a frank and accurate picture of both the young man and London in the early 1760s. While many of Boswell's journals have been published, this one gained popularity for its racier entries as well as its descriptions of Boswell's first encounter with Samuel Johnson.

Join James Boswell and the iconic Samuel Johnson on their captivating journey through the rugged Scottish Highlands and the enchanting Hebrides Islands. This anecdotal account, beautifully summarized by Anthony Ogus, invites you to experience their adventures, encounters, and reflections as they explore the breathtaking landscapes and rich culture of this remote region. Discover the unique blend of humor, insight, and historical significance that makes this travel narrative a timeless classic.

In 1773, Boswell enticed his famous English friend Samuel Johnson to accompany him on a tour through the highlands and western islands of Scotland. Johnson was then in his mid sixties. The two travellers set out from Edinburgh and skirted the eastern and northeastern coasts of Scotland, passing through St Andrews, Aberdeen and Inverness. They then passed into the highlands and spent several weeks on various islands in the Hebrides, including Skye, Coll, and Mull. After a visit to Boswell's estate at Auchinleck, the travellers returned to Edinburgh.