Life of Samuel Johnson vs On a Chinese screen: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: English Authors, Authors, Description and travel, Travel, Biography & Memoir
Life of Samuel Johnson
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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…
On a Chinese screen
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On a Chinese Screen was first published in 1922 by Heinemann Publishers, London. Its 58 short vignettes are based on Maugham’s travels along the Yangtze River from 1919 to 1920. Although later editions of the book added…
Side by side
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- On a Chinese screen is the quickest read — about 4 hours vs 10 for Life of Samuel Johnson.
- Life of Samuel Johnson has the widest readership — 5424 ratings behind its score.
- On a Chinese screen runs the darker storyline; Life of Samuel Johnson stays the lighter read.
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How to choose
Scores by source
| Life of Samuel Johnson | On a Chinese screen | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.8 (5424) | 3.8 (6) |
| Hardcover | 4.3 (3) | — |
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Reception
| Life of Samuel Johnson | On a Chinese screen | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 5424 | 6 |
| Editions | 238 | 41 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 12455 | 12 |
| Reading it now | 1021 | — |
| Written reviews | 364 | — |
| Wikipedia attention | 4427 | — |
| Pages | 567 | 242 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: Life of Samuel Johnson or On a Chinese screen?
Life of Samuel Johnson has the higher combined reader rating across sources (Life of Samuel Johnson 3.8/5, On a Chinese screen 3.8/5).
Which is shorter to read: Life of Samuel Johnson or On a Chinese screen?
On a Chinese screen is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: On a Chinese screen (242 pages, ≈ 4 h 29 m); Life of Samuel Johnson (567 pages, ≈ 10 h 30 m).
Which is harder to read: Life of Samuel Johnson or On a Chinese screen?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — Life of Samuel Johnson: Demanding; On a Chinese screen: Challenging.