The Life of Samuel Johnson, Vol. I
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James Boswell
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, Appendices and Footnotes. (14 hr 0 min)
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Most of the readers did quite well, & Boswell is a fine writer.
Robert Cruthirds
I'm pleasantly surprised at Boswell's talent as a writer and observer. But in this volume at least, he mostly quotes Johnson through various letters, essays, and conversations. Apparently, Boswell was some 20-30 years younger than Johnson and lived in Edinburgh while Johnson resided in London. Almost every year, Boswell spent 2 weeks in the summer with Johnson in London. Unfortunately, Johnson burned his diaries a few days before his death. This makes it difficult for Boswell to verify whether certain events or conversations attributed to Johnson actually occurred.