Life of Samuel Johnson

3.8 avg 5424 votes 364 reviews 12396 want to read

About this book

Poet, lexicographer, critic, moralist and Great Cham, Dr. Johnson had in his friend Boswell the ideal biographer. Notoriously and self-confessedly intemperate, Boswell shared with Johnson a huge appetite for life and threw equal energy into recording its every aspect in minute but telling detail. This irrepressible Scotsman was 'always studying human nature and making experiments', and the marvelously vivacious Journals he wrote daily furnished him with first-rate material when he came to write his biography. The result is a masterpiece that brims over with wit, anecdote and originality. Hailed by Macaulay as the best biography ever written and by Carlyle as a book 'beyond any other product of the eighteenth century', The Life of Samuel Johnson today continues to enjoy its status as a classic of the language.

3.8 ★★★★☆ average of 3 sources · 5424 votes
Open Library 4.2 4
1★2★3★4★5★
Goodreads 3.8 5424
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364 reviews · 12,396 want to read · 1,021 reading now

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Reader Profile

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3.8/5 · 5424 readers · 567 pages · ≈ 10 h 30 m · Demanding

How long does it take to read Life of Samuel Johnson?

About ≈ 10 h 30 m — 567 pages, assuming roughly 250 words per page at 225 words per minute.Typical novel≈ 5 h 56 mLife of Samuel Johnson~10 h 30 m

How many pages is Life of Samuel Johnson?

567 pages in its most-read edition.Typical novel320Life of Samuel Johnson567

What genre is Life of Samuel Johnson?

It sits on the Travel, Biography & Memoir shelves.

Is Life of Samuel Johnson in the public domain?

Yes — it is free to read and share.

Who are the main characters in Life of Samuel Johnson?

The main characters include Samuel Johnson (1709-1784), Johnson, samuel (1709-1784).

Where does Life of Samuel Johnson take place?

It is set in Hebrides (Scotland), Great Britain, Scotland during 18th century.

Who wrote Life of Samuel Johnson?

James Boswell (1740–1795).

Where can I read Life of Samuel Johnson online for free?

It is in the public domain — read it free on Open Library

Setting Hebrides (Scotland)Great BritainScotland Time period 18th century Characters Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)Johnson, samuel (1709-1784)
Life of Samuel Johnson ★ 3.8 · 3 sources Read free Check price →