Book Description
This authoritative edition was formerly published in the acclaimed Oxford Authors series under the general editorship of Frank Kermode. It brings together a unique combination of Johnson's poetry and prose - all the major poems, complemented by essays, criticism, and fiction - to give the essence of his work and thinking. Samuel Johnson's literary reputation rests on such a varied output that he defies easy description: poet, critic, lexicographer, travel writer, essayist, editor, and, thanks to his good friend Boswell, the subject of one of the most famous English biographies. This volume celebrates Johnson's astonishing talent by selecting widely across the full range of his work.It includes 'London' and 'The Vanity of Human Wishes' among other poems, and many of his essays for the Rambler and Idler. The prefaces to his edition of Shakespeare and his famous Dictionary, together with samples from the texts, are given, as well as selections from A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland, the Lives of the Poets, and Rasselas in its entirety. There is also a substantial representation of lesser-known prose, and of his poetry, letters, and journals. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Don't buy this edition!Missing pages!
Great book, but there is an edition problem where there are pages missing.I got 2 copies, same problem.They promised that they wouldn't charge, and they have.This sucks!

The One to Buy
This is the anthology to buy.Mona Wilson's collection from 1963 is also good, but the texts are less certain.Greene's annotations and bibliography are expert.He was the leading student of Johnson in the 20th century (after, he would say, his mentor James Clifford).I agree with Frank Lynch that it would be preferable to have the entire Journey here, but it is readily available elsewhere and students will find it very convenient to see some of Johnson's little-known but very important works (his life of Boerhaave, e.g. and his Sermon #5) available in this large but relatively inexpensive anthology.

The Joy of Reading Johnson
The case of Dr. Johnson is a strange one. On the one hand, the extent of his achievements, the magnetism of his personality, and the sheer strength of his genius has forever secured him a place among the literary giants of all ages. On the other hand, Time seems to have both granted him fame and deprived him of readers. Nowadays, when people want Dr. Johnson, they go straight to James Boswell. The man has sadly overshadowed the author; and Samuel Johnson is not as much read as he is quoted, nor as closely appreciated as he is admired from afar. Indeed, his works fit Mark Twain's definition of a classic: "A book which people praise and don't read".

And that is a shame, since, as this book amply proves, Samuel Johnson is one of the best and most delightful writers the world has ever seen. He is deep in meaning, and felicitous in expression; never dull, always memorable. As the man himself, his prose has a fascinating quality to it: his architecturally built sentences expand for what sometimes feels like forever, linking up ideas and images, until a sudden burst of energy condenses the whole paragraph into a brilliant aphorism. Each phrase is balanced to perfection. Whenever obscure, Johnson usually illustrates his words with exact allusions, metaphors and similes; he particularly relishes in three-folded tropes: "To a community, sedition is a fever, corruption a gangrene, and idleness an atrophy" (pg 285); "In the bottle discontent seeks for comfort, cowardice for courage, and bashfulness for confidence" (pg 664). His acute and eminently quotable observations, whether about learned matters ("Notes are often necessary, but a necessary evil") or about human nature in general ("Many complain of neglect who never tried to attract regard ") are to be found throughout his whole oeuvre.

However, as painstakingly constructed as his writings might appear to be, the incredible truth is that he wrote many of them as he went along, without even reading them over, prodded by deadlines and debts. Johnson admitted having sometimes written half an essay on the spot, sent it to the presses, and finished the second half as the first half was being printed. He wrote his only novel, Rasselas, in the evenings of a week, and the first 48 pages of his wonderful Life of Savage in a sitting. "But then again, I sat all night", he added. That nervous energy can be felt even in his calmer passages, lurking in between the lines, waiting for the inevitable outburst of indignation or angry disapproval to be released.

Regarding this edition, it is by far the best one-volume anthology of Johnson's works now available. It's biggest defect, in fact, consists merely in its inappropriate title: the very prologue happily admits the book is a wide-ranging sampling of Johnson's output and not just his "Major Works". Oxford just decided to re-name the anthology without touching the content, which explains why it still proudly includes Latin School exercises, extemporary verses, pieces "printed in full for the first time" and "lesser-known works". While I would have preferred having fewer, yet more complete pieces, the selection at least feels fresh and does not leave out any of Johnson's must-haves: his poetry (which, although often overlooked, was admired by authors such as TS Eliot), his timeless essays and remarkable biographies, the Preface to his Dictionary (of which some facsimile pages are included), the Preface to his edition of Shakespeare's plays (surely one of the best-written and most lucid examples of literary criticism ever published), Rasselas unabridged, and a few of his Lives of the Poets -which are, of course, quintessential Johnson. In other words, this book is a perfect introduction to those who are new to the author, and even the most avid Johnsonian will find in it something he has never read before, or an excuse to reread something he already knows by heart.

Samuel Johnson is someone towards whom one can feel many things, but not indifference. Hazlitt detested him and decried the "periodical revolution of his style", that search for equilibrium which often made Johnson turn from high praise to stern criticism in the blink of an eye; Carlyle crowned him "the Hero of the Man of Letters". It seems that people must either love the Doctor's elegance, or hate his pompous use of polysyllabic and Latinate words; either exalt his discernment, or deplore his intolerance. I am no exception to the rule. Simply put, I think reading Johnson means enjoying most of the pleasures Literature can give. That is why I consider he deserves more than our mere admiration: he deserves to be read. Certainly Samuel Johnson's achievements alone would make him remembered, but it's his writings that make him unforgettable.

Beef Up Your English
OK, I'll admit it... When I dropped out of high school at the tender age of 14 for a career of glue-sniffing and joy-riding round the graffiti-sprayed council estates of my native Irvine, I was a 'seven-stone weakling' in terms of using the English language.

Brought up on a diet of comic books, tabloid newspapers, and football magazines (Shoot, Match Weekly, etc) and 'educated' in a Socialist-inspired 'comprehensive' school, I wasn't really equipped for my future career as an international journalist. But then something very strange and bewitching happened - I discovered 'THE DOCTOR,' as we acolytes refer to him, and started mentally working out on his long, finely wrought sentences.

At first, each seemingly interminable sentence was like trying to swim the English Channel - I thought I would drown before reaching the other end - but, somehow, I survived and found myself on dry land, confused and wet, but nevertheless alive and raring to have another go.

In the months that followed, the good doctor's erudite style became Mother's milk to me as I progressively beefed up my English. This enabled me to grab a place at the prestigious university of Thames Polytechnic and, then, on graduation, to a career writing for a wide range of excellent publications, including Riff Raff, Tokyo Notice Board, and the Wall Street Journal.

The great thing about THE DOCTOR's prose is that he uses a disproportionate number of abstract nouns, which means you have to mentally provide your own examples. At first this can be extremely challenging, but if you stick with it, your brain will become, as mine has, a potent and expressive tool.

A Good Example of the English Language
Johnson's sentences are so beautifully composed that when reading him, I am apt to focus mainly on his sentence structures rather than what he says. This is not to say that his philosophy is boring; indeed it is very interesting and inspiring, only the way he translated that philosophy into words is more so. "What? Johnson's style is more inspiring than his philosophy? Nothing could be more absurd," some may say. Certainly the frequent use of inserted clauses and complex phrases makes some of his sentences a little cumbersome, and those who are accustomed to an easy read often find his style less acceptable, especially when the movement of "Plain English" is reaching its climax, and writing plainly and succinctly has become a virtue. But Johnson's prose style has an attraction-or a spell if you like-we can never find in, say, newspaper articles; insomuch that those who see language as more than a means of communication, that is, those who can enjoy language for its own sake, find wandering into his lanaguage labyrinth far more pleasant than merely digesting what today's main news communicate.

In his criticism "The Plays of William Shakespeare," Johnson wrote, "The Pythagorean scale of numbers was at once discovered to be perfect; but the poems of Homer we yet know not to transcend the common limits of human intelligence but by remarking that nation after nation, and century after century, has been able to do little more than transpose his incidents, new name his characters, and paraphrase his sentiments," suggesting that if Shakespeare's works provoked reverence, it is in so far as it had survived the test of time. Now, reading this statement more than two century after his death, I believe that we can revere Johnson's works for the same reason he revered Shakespeare.
... Read more

Book Description
With his wit, eloquence, and shrewd perception of contemporary morals, Samuel Johnson was the most versatile writer of the English neoclassical period. His dictionary, dramas, and poetry established his reputation, but it was the essays that demonstrated the range of his talent. This new edition presents both the forcefully argued moral pieces of Johnson's middle years and the more light-hearted essays of his later work. Tackling ethical questions-such as the importance of self-knowledge, awareness of mortality, the role of the novel, and, in a lighter vein, marriage, sleep, and deceit-these brilliant and thought-provoking essays are a mirror of the time in which they were written and a testament to Johnson's stature as the leading man of letters of his age. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

No blockhead 'he'. Was the 'talker' superior to the 'writer'?
The great range of his interests, the complex classical balance of his sentences, the passion and forcefulness in which he justifies his tastes, the sense of authority and integrity which radiate from the page- all these are elements which make Johnson's essays of great possible interest to those who can endure the difficulty of understanding such complexity, and the discomfort of being in the presence of so forceful a personality. He wrote these essays for the 'Spectator', the 'Rambler' and he was apparently paid well- enough for them to avoid being considered a blockhead.
Yet how strange and paradoxical that it is not for these 'Essays'( in which he too discusses the subject of Literary Fame) but for the portrait of him made by another writer( Boswell in the 'Life) that he most lives in our minds and hearts. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (7)

Amateurish edition, unworthy of a great work
It's great fun to see a portable edition of the 'dixonary' as Thackeray's headmistress called it. However, this edition from the purveyors of the upscale office furnishings catalog needs a lot more editing and polishing. The Greek in the derivations, for one thing, is atrociously copyedited, replete with mistranscribed letters and spelling mistakes, and completely missing accentuation. This is unforgivable; Johnson, though no Classical scholar, tried to be scrupulously correct in his Greek spelling and accentuation. Johnson's English orthography is mostly updated to 21st century conventions, except when it randomly isn't. (The introduction says no updating has taken place. This is not true.) There is no information given about the editor, or his methods, which makes the whole work a bit suspect.

There are much better editions of the 'Dixonary' out there. Please, find a better one!

Dip and enjoy!
Henry Hitchings, in his brilliant `Dr Johnson's Dictionary' (see my review), recommends this abridged edition of the Dictionary.It, too, is a treat for all who love words and are interested in the 18th century.It reproduces more than 3,000 entries of the 42,733 in the original First Edition.It includes: the Plan that Johnson originally submitted to the Earl of Chesterfield (15 pages), from which, however, he was to deviate later in several important respects; Johnson's splendid Preface (20 pages);Lynch's own excellent Introduction (21 pages);19 pages of Lynch's notes on those entries for which he felt a special explanation was necessary;and some very useful appendices.One lists (play by play) all the words in this edition for whose illustrations Johnson quoted plays by Shakespeare; another does the same for other authors (author by author - including the Bible);and a third, subject by subject, of what Lynch calls `piquant terms'.These include nearly three columns of `Inkhorn Terms', which would make for a splendid party game in which participants would be invited to guess their meaning.Lynch has in fact published a deck of 48 cards for just this purpose. (Here is a taster from the book, a selection from from just two letters:macilent, mactation, macilent, madefy, maffle, malvaceous, maritated, meracious, moky, morigerous, multiscious, mundivagant, mundungus, mussitation, mynchen, nimiety, nombles, nosology, nosopoetick, nubble, nummery, nuncupative.)This is all great fun;but there also is a lot of serious pleasure to be gained from dipping into this book for Johnson's definitions and for the examples he has culled from his wide reading.(It is a pity, though, that he did not specify more closely the place where his sources are to be found - partly, no doubt, as Hitchings explained, because Johnson often quoited from memory.For Biblical sources hedoes usually quote chapter and verse.Sometimes he does the same for Milton, but mostly not. Where his source is named simply `Shakespeare' or `Shak.Tit.And.', we could of course consult a Shakespeare Concordance for the precise place.But where there are no Concordances, a bare reference to `Dryd' or to `Swift' is a little frustrating.Another opportunity, perhaps, for a party game among the learnéd?)

Lots of logomachious fun, great for classes!
This is by far the best selection of entries from Johnson's famous Dictionary available in print today.The difficult choice from among Johnson's many thousands of entries is well done, focusing on words we no longer use, or whose meaning has changed: this provides a window onto changes in English language and the character of 18th century thought, often with political and philosophical significance.Many of the entries are also intrinsically fascinating and/or humorous, making the book lots of fun.The book's introduction is first-rate, laying out the history and significance of this great lexicographic event in the history of our language.This combination makes the book useful for college courses.The author is a leading Johnson scholar and keeper of the primary website on 18th century English literature.He is also the author of a book on Johnson's insults, which I've found can come in very handy at department meetings.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary-by Jack Lynch
The advent of the 18th century required a formal English dictionary for the keepers of the language. The Samuel Johnson Dictionary served as the authority until the Oxford English Dictionary was first published. Samuel Johnson's Dictionary has an extensive index of literary citations. There are sarcasms; such as, " That one English soldier will beat 10 of France" by Gerrick.

The volume has classic words and sayings of the 18th century .
For instance, the following words are defined:

- to aberuncate is to pull by the roots
- abba is Syrian for father
- bisson means blind
- to blood-let is to bleed
- cit is a city inhabitant
- ciliary belongs to the eyelids
- crinigerous is hairy
- dalliance is fondness
- epulation is a banquet or a feast

This work would be valuable for any student of fine English
literature and early American literature. Every literary library
should have at least one copy or more for research purposes.
The volume is easy to read and reasonably priced.

A necessity for historical reading
Madison warned us in the 1810s to be careful of the change in the use of words that had occured since the Founding, consider then how significant the changes have been from the founding till today.David McCullough kept an original copy of the dictionary close as he wrote his excellent book on Adam's.
In order to gain a more precise understanding of our heritage we have to remove the prism of viewing those times from our perspectives, and of course our use of language. We have never experienced, for example, a Baptist Minister being jailed in Virginia for the crime of preaching and not being an Anglican; Madison lived in a time when he could only hope for such a perspective. The education of many of the Founders was classical, hence their usage of words stayed closer to their original meanings, rather than the evolved usages we are fimiliar with. This excellent work, although containing selections, gives us a better view of what they were expressing.

In Federalist 37, Madison wrote:

.."Perspicuity,therefore, requires not only that the ideas should be distinctly formed, but that they should be expressed by words distinctly and exclusively appropriate to them."

Their effort to be precise having been noted, then this book offers us a clearer view of their intentions. If not we run the risk of being ill informed do to our pervicaciousness. ... Read more

Book Description
Surprising, colorful, and long-forgotten entries from the most famous dictionary in the history of the English language

Samuel Johnson’s best-known work, A Dictionary of the English Language (1755), is the most influential and idiosyncratic lexicon ever written and was used by Jane Austen and Charles Dickens, the Brontës and the Brownings, Thomas Hardy and Oscar Wilde. This anthology includes 4,000 of the most representative, entertaining, and historically fascinating entries, covering subjects from fashion to food, science to sex, and given in full with original spelling and examples of usage from Shakespeare to Milton. ... Read more

Amazon.com
James Boswell is for some the ideal scribe, for others a sycophantic toady. Edmund Wilson memorably labeled him "a vain and pushing diarist." Boswell can even be seen as someone unconsciously intent on undermining his idol in sonorous, balanced sentences. Early on in his massive Life, he puts all manner of ideas into our heads with his boobish attempts to clear the youthful Johnson of potential impropriety: "His juvenile attachments to the fair sex were, however, very transient; and it is certain that he formed no criminal connection whatsoever." And while it's often tempting to ignore Boswell's more personal intrusions and delight solely in the melancholic master's words and deeds, there are delightful admissions as, "I was at this time so occupied, shall I call it? or so dissipated, by the amusements of London that our next meeting was not till Saturday, June 25..."

Samuel Johnson was born in 1709 and died in 1784--a long life, though one marred by depression and fear of death. On April 20, 1764, for example, he declared, "I would consent to have a limb amputated to recover my spirits." Many of the quotes Boswell includes are a sort of greatest hits: Johnson's definitions of oats and lexicographer, his love for his cat Hodge, as well as thousands of bon, and mal, mots. ("Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel"; "Sir, a woman's preaching is like a dog's walking on his hinder legs. It is not done well; but you are surprized to find it done at all.") But there are also many unfamiliar pleasures--Boswell's accounts of Johnson's literary industry, including the Dictionary, The Rambler and Lives of the Poets; Johnson's singular loathing for Scotland and France; and the surprising hints of revelry.Awakened at 3 AM by friends, he greets them with, "What, is it you, you dogs! I'll have a frisk with you." This at age 42. Johnson's final years were marked by pain and loneliness but certainly no loss of wit. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

A Great Book, Funny and Profound
Note: I made some immature Mormon angry because of my negative reviews of books that attempted to prove the Book of Mormon, and that person has been slamming my reviews almost as fast as they are posted.

I must have really burned him or her because I've deleted this review and re-posted it and within an hour, I had a "not helpful" vote. Give me a break. That person's faith must be very fragile, indeed. Oh, well.

I'm trying to be "helpful," and you can see that it took some work to put this review together.

So, your "helpful" votes are appreciated. Thanks, and I hope you find some enjoyable quotations (below) from Boswell's wonderful book, but first a little history.

Samuel Johnson, the irascible but generous lexicographer of the eighteenth century, is mostly remembered because of Boswell, and Boswell is remembered because he wrote Johnson's biography.

At the time, Johnson was already famous for his "Dictionary of the English Language," an impressive work for the year 1755. Among many other writings, Johnson put out an edition of Shakespeare's works (1765), with valuable notes that are still referred to today.

Johnson published a "series of grave and moral discourses" in the periodical called the Rambler, but when it was translated into Italian, it came out as the ludicrous "El Vagabondo," something far from Johnson's pious intentions. And of good intentions, it was Johnson who said, "Sir, Hell is paved with good intentions."

"(Johnson's) defense of tea against Mr. Jonas Hanway's violent attack upon that elegant and popular beverage, shows how very well a man of genius can write upon the slightest subject, when he writes, as the Italians say, con amore."

Johnson despised Americans and was prejudiced against Scotland. He said, "Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel."

Johnson was a male chauvinist. Yet, he was "a king of men." He was a "robust genius, born to grapple with whole libraries," and although "indolence and procrastination were inherent in his constitution, whenever he made an exertion he did more than any one else."

As a person who is afraid of death in the normal sense, I was surprised that in spite of being very religious, Johnson had an extreme fear of death. "'The better a man is, the more afraid he is of death, having a clearer view of infinite purity.' Said Boswell, "Johnson owned, that our being in an unhappy uncertainty as to our salvation, was mysterious; and said, 'Ah! We must wait till we are in another state of being, to have many things explained to us.' Even the powerful mind of Johnson seemed foiled by futurity."

Boswell's commentary brings to mind a story told by St. Augustine in his monumental City of God. A philosopher was abroad a ship captained by a bad man, and after a violent storm, the fearless captain jeered the philosopher for his terror. Said the philosopher, quoting from a similar incident that occurred to the pagan Aristippus, 'A rogue need not worry about losing his worthless life, but Aristippus has a duty to care for a life like his."

"Johnson knew more books than any man alive. He had a peculiar facility in seizing at once what was valuable in any book, without submitting to the labour of perusing it from beginning to end." But he also held that it was important to "read diligently the great book of mankind."

"Why, Sir, I am a man of the world. I live in the world, and I take, in some degree, the color of the world as it moves along."

Johnson was also the one who said, "When a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully."

"I love Blair's Sermons," Johnson said. "Though the dog is a Scotchman, and a Presbyterian, and every thing that he should not be, I was the first to praise them. Such was my candor," he said with a smile."

The Life of Samuel Johnson is a treasure trove for the quotable eighteenth century lexicographer and man of letters
The Life of Samuel Johnson is the most famous biography ever written in the English language! Its author was the Scottish lawyer James Boswell
(1740-1795). Boswell was an intemperate soul enjoying boozing it up in taverns; whoring and wenching with ladies of the night; gossiping and quarreling with his rich Dad back in Scotland. Boswell was often a widely travelled worldly man who had visited the likes of Voltaire, Rosseau and Paoli the liberator of Corsican independence. Boswell's words allow us to see what eighteenth century London must have been like for the relatively affluent. Boswell only spent around 300 total days with Johnson from the first time they met in 1763 to the death of the Great Cham in 1784.
I have read the 1300 page complete diary which I recommend. I also recommend that for rereading this Penguin Abridged Edition will do just fine. In it you will find such quotes by Johnson as "The road to hell is paved with good intentions"; "Patriotism is the last refuge of a coward.:;
"We shall receive no letters in the grave." and countless philippics against the United States of America and Scotland.
Dr. Samuel Johnson was born in Lichfield near Birmingham, England in 1709. He was best noted in his lifetime for his monumental work, "A Dictionary of the English Language." He also wrote plays, essays and newspaper columns. Among his friends were the painter Sir Joshua Reynolds, authors Oliver Goldsmith and Colley Ciber and the famous Shakespearean actor David Garrick. Johnson was clubbable soul who had a cat named Hodge; had poor eyesight and was the widower of a much older woman. He had no children. Johnson was a devout Christian adherent of the Church of England, a monarchist and a rabid Tory. He had many prejudices and was not tacit in expressing them aloud.
Anyone who expects this famed biography to be a strict life following Johnson from cradle to grave will be disappointed. Instead it is poorly organized consisting of meetings between Johnson and Boswell over the years of their long friendship. It is a great book because of its quotablility and the quirky genius seen in the complex figure of Samuel Johnson. Boswell was also an author of genius whose detailed eye gives us a fascinating glimpse into a different age. This book is one of the essentials of English Literature.

nice but heavily abridged
I liked this but prefer the unabridged edition published by Oxford University Press (in their Oxford World's Classics series). If you're willing to read Boswell, spend a few dollars more for the OUP edition.

Biography as English literature.
Typically, I have a bias against abridged editions of literary works.Nevertheless, prudent editing and abridgement enhances the casual reader's appreciation of this literary tome.Undergraduates working a required reading list for English Lit classes are on their own.Anyway, Samuel Johnson was a noted author and editor of the 18th century English literary scene.Instead of an exhaustive study of Johnson's life as author and editor, biographer Boswell compiled a series of anecdotes, quotations, and correspondence that is held together by his friendship with Johnson.Boswell's purpose was to capture the essence of the man.Johnson was adept at articulating pithy remarks with surgical precision.For example, "...a woman's preaching is like a dog's walking on his hinder legs.It is not done well; but you are surprized to find it done at all."The 18th century spellings, etc. remain intact.We have Johnson to thank for the familiar "...hell is paved with good intentions," and "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel."Boswell takes care to portray Johnson as sexually moral.After the death of his wife, Johnson (according to Boswell) was apparently celibate.Johnson rebuffed "women of the town," and said he wasn't interested in their carnal delights.Johnson told David Garrick, the actor, that he would not go backstage at the theater because "the white bubbies and silk stockings of your Actresses excite my genitals."As an interesting aside, the editor's introduction speculates that Johnson's relationship with the widow Thrale may have been sexual, with bondage overtones.Who knows?The description of London coffeehouses, theaters, and gathering places are heavy with 18th century atmosphere.Bottom line, reading this book is interesting as a curiosity.Its relevance for 21st century readers may seem limited, but don't let that stop you from sampling the fare.;-)

Abridged Version
This is an abridged version.If you want an unabridged version, get the Life of Johnson (Oxford World's Classics) [UNABRIDGED. ... Read more

Book Description
From one of our most imaginative and inventive writers, a crystalline collection of perfectly modulated, sometimes harrowing and often hilarious investigations into the multifaceted ways in which human beings perceive each other and themselves. A couple suspects their friends think them boring; a woman resolves to see herself as nothing but then concludes she's set too high a goal; and a funeral home receives a letter rebuking it for linguistic errors. Lydia Davis once again proves in the words of the Los Angeles Times "one of the quiet giants in the world of American fiction." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

From the sparse to the enigmatic - this a very good collection of original fiction
Lydia Davis writes short fiction...sometimes really short fiction. In this very good to great collection of short work, Davis has delivered a book both interesting in content and interesting in composition of the collection.

The bulk of the stories in this collection are short stories that feed the mind and fulfill the need for a quick literary fix; and these are intermixed with short short fiction - usually a paragraph in length - that work as a brief interlude between the longer pieces. There are a few stories in this collection that really fall short though as they are more gimmick than good fiction; a perfect example is "Oral History (with Hiccups)". This story has been weirdly spaced so that words are broken as if by a hiccup...cute, but so what; really nothing more distracting than a gimmick that doesn't further the story.

Of the notable pieces, you will find great pleasure with stories such as "In a Northern Country" where an elderly gentleman travels to a (seemingly) foreign land in search of a brother recently gone missing and finds an interesting collection of introverted villagers not too concerned with the disappearance of the brother or the villager gone missing with him. An interesting story with a sort-of gimmick that works is "Jury Duty" with its one-sided question and answer session monologue.

Overall, this book is a satisfying collection that leaves me wanting more of Lydia Davis' short fiction.

Almost criminally awful.
Lydia Davis, Samuel Johnson Is Indignant (McSweeney's, 2005)

I once again find myself wondering what it is about the Cult of McSweeney's that makes anyone think that anyone at this press has even the barest modicum of taste-- or whether, in this case, they are even capable of recognizing and classifying content. While one cannot doubt that roughly one-third of the fifty-six pieces here do, in fact, classify as "stories," the rest, which range in length from one sentence to about a page and a half, are arguable at best as stories. Really, it would be hard to even call most of this stuff flash fiction. Most would be hard-pressed to find their way into the aphorism category. (Immediately discount any reviewer who refers to anything here as poetry.) So, one is left to ask, what does one make of, for example, the title story, which in its entirety reads

"that Scotland has so few trees."?

This is not to say that Davis doesn't occasionally come close enough to the mark to make us wonder what could have been; "Marie Curie, So Honorable Woman" and "In a Northern Country" are almost coherent enough to really sweep us off our feet here at Goat Central, but don't quite get there. Unfortunately, such pieces are too few here, and you have to wade through far too many swine to find the pearls (in the rough). *

The definition of "Hit or Miss"
Half the pieces (most can't really be called "stories") will make you think or laugh. The other half will make you go "meh."

Half the stories are brimming with wit and intelligence. The other half sound like pseudo-literary versions of rejected MadTV jokes.

Oh well. There should be enough good stuff to please anyone. Plus, McSweeneys deserves all the support you can give, as they are putting out the best work and in the best format.

A quietly eccentric humor
...that captures the essence of human experience. Urgent - natural - inevitable. A good variety of forms - entertaining for the minimalists in particular.

Playful writer
I've been quoting her story "Spring Spleen" to people (in its two-sentence entirety) because it's so delightfully short and it conveys its meaning perfectly.I appreciate quirky and inventive writers very much and found SJII to be an enjoyable read.She's up there with Russell Edson and Padgett Powell as a master of the short form. ... Read more

Book Description
(Book Jacket Status: Not Jacketed)

In 1773, the great Samuel Johnson–then 63–and his young friend and future biographer, James Boswell, traveled together around the coast of Scotland, each writing his own account of the 83-day journey. Published in one volume, the very different travelogues of this unlikely duo provide a fascinating picture not only of the Scottish Highlands but also of the relationship between two men whose fame would be forever entwined.

Johnson's account contains elegant descriptions and analyses of what was then a remote and rugged land. In contrast, the Scottish-born Boswell's journal of the trip focuses on the psychological landscape of his famously gruff and witty companion, and is part of the material he was already collecting for his future Life of Samuel Johnson, the masterly biography that would make his name.

Read together, the two accounts form both a unique classic of travel writing and a revelation of one of the most famous literary friendships. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (4)

Beware of 'backfriends' Amusing
This is an amusing collection of the 'snubs, sneers, slights and effronteries' by the 'Great Cham'. Lynch arranges them in alphabetical order and adds his own interesting commentary on their origins. In writing for instance of 'backfriends' that is of friends who behind the back to others speak about their friend in ways not friendly at all. He tells us the story of Boswell's resentment of Hester Thrale whom Johnson gave more time with him,and his revenge on her by filling his 'Life of Johnson' with insulting remarks about her. These led her to say that if all friends are like Johnsonone should have nofriends at all.
This is an amusing work especially for those who love the study of Language and all its unending varieties and duplicities.

As Intelligent as a Shovel Beaten Weasel.
Please don't waste your time, or, more importantly, your hard earned money on this compendium of excrement.

The barbs and sneers in this book were of the grade school variety. Anyone with a minimum of a double digit I.Q. could be far more imaginative and impressive with less effort than would be needed to turn one page in this *book*.

Samuel Johnson was a man of extreme bias and prejudice, and most often without basis or reason; all of which shine through clearly in a few of the more *enlightening* barbs and sneers.

The only sneer connected to this travesty of bound paper was the one I wore while being forced to peruse it by a well meaning colleague.

Over three hundred of Samuel Johnson's nastier barbs
Over three hundred of Samuel Johnson's nastier barbs and their meanings are gathered from his various writings under one cover to appeal to modern readers seeking new ways of insulting. Quotes are often accompanied not just by definitions but insights into the source of the barb or quip, revealing further insights into Samuel Johnson's works and life as well. Samuel Johnson's Insults: A Compendium of Snubs, Sneers, Slights and Effronteries from the Eighteenth-Century Master is highly entertaining and enthusiastically recommended reading.

Classic Zingers
If you are at a loss for words when annoyed, read this.The insults are selected from Johnson's famous eighteenth century Dictionary of the English Language.Bet you never thought to call someone a jobbernowl or a moon-calf.
Actually this is great for anyone who likes reading historic romances and is curious about some words used by the characters.Example: "rakehel - a wild, worthless, dissolute, debauched, sorry fellow."The book contains over 300 of these insults. ... Read more

Amazon.com
James Boswell is for some the ideal scribe, for others a sycophantic toady. Edmund Wilson, for example, memorably labeled him "a vain and pushing diarist." Boswell can even be seen as someone unconsciously intent on undermining his idol in sonorous, balanced sentences. Early on in his massive Life, he puts all manner of ideas into our heads with his boobish attempts to clear the youthful Johnson of potential impropriety: "His juvenile attachments to the fair sex were, however, very transient; and it is certain that he formed no criminal connection whatsoever." And while it's often tempting to ignore Boswell's more personal intrusions and delight solely in the melancholic master's words and deeds, there are suchdelightful admissions as, "I was at this time so occupied, shall I call it? or so dissipated, by the amusements of London that our next meeting was not till Saturday, June 25..."

Samuel Johnson was born in 1709 and died in 1784--a long life, though one marred by depression and fear of death. On April 20, 1764, for example, he declared, "I would consent to have a limb amputated to recover my spirits." Many of the quotes Boswell includes are a sort of greatest hits: Johnson's definitions of oats and lexicographer, his love for his cat Hodge, as well as thousands of bon, and mal, mots. ("Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel"; "Sir, a woman's preaching is like a dog's walking on his hinder legs. It is not done well; but you are surprized to find it done at all.") But there are also many unfamiliar pleasures--Boswell's accounts of Johnson's literary industry, including the Dictionary, The Rambler, and Lives of the Poets; Johnson's singular loathing for Scotland and France; and the surprising hints of revelry.Awakened at 3 AM by friends, he greets them with, "What, is it you, you dogs! I'll have a frisk with you." This at age 42. Johnson's final years were marked by pain and loneliness but certainly no loss of wit.Book Description
(Book Jacket Status: Not Jacketed) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

One of the Lions of England
'No man but a blockhead ever wrote, except for money,' Samuel Johnson.
Sorry, it is a hobby.

Samuel Johnson the writer of the first comprehensive dictionary of the English language, which was a very big deal in his day as the elite felt the English language was in decline due to it being influenced by so many foreign influences and the marvel of Samuel Johnson's efforts and method of writing made him, according to Lord Chesterfield Lord Chesterfield's Letters (Oxford World's Classics), as someone to be deferred to as the Caesar of the English language. Samuel Johnson, along with his friend and former pupil David Garrick, helped place Shakespeare as the permanent king of the English language; further, Johnson was a great and singular essayist and has an eternal place as a minor poet of the English language. His dictionary shot Johnson into the inner circle of elite in English society.

Boswell's "Life of Samuel Johnson" is a fascinating read as Boswell traces Johnson's life story. Samuel Johnson and Edmund Burke, a friend of his, and together the center of English political and cultural life with the 'Literary Club' that they had both started were big players in forming the English reaction to the major liberal events going on in their day and could be said to be the fathers of modern conservatism. They were alive to face the genesis of modern liberalism, in the form of Jean Jacque Rousseau along with the American Revolution, theirs was the conservative response. 'What hypocrites are the drivers of negroes to be demanding liberty,' Johnson in reference to the Americans. (It is funny that Samuel Johnson was against slavery while the more liberal Boswell was for it). Although, I know Edmund Burke felt England to be in the reconcilable wrong with the American Revolution Edmund Burke's Speech on conciliation with the American colonies,: Delivered in the House of commons, March 22, 1775; ed., with notes and a study plan ... I. Crane (Twentieth century text-books) the Doctor, Samuel Johnson, did not and felt the Revolutionaries hypocritical ingrates. What is good about conservatism lays with these two fellows, Burke and Johnson. It is also amusing that Johnson's conservativism included the observation that countries should be judged by the condition in which their poor lived, disapprobation given to the worse.

Samuel Johnson came from very humble roots and his early life was spent in modest means, fortunately he was surrounded by books. His first years in London were quite a struggle, near pennyless, sometimes sleeping on the streets.The money he ended up getting for writing the dictionary wasn't much in the end, it was the fame that got him some wealth.

A marvelous read. Giving advice about the legal profession, education: his advice - just do it; habits form early and habits are hard to break... lots of interesting views from how to conduct oneself socially (Boswell seemed in constant search of this) to political commentary (one of my favorite was his advice on being weary of those that wrap themselves in the flag)...too much to write about. Boswell, when he first meets Johnson is so filled with awe and reverance but it mellows out some, he even starts playing games with the Doctor; however, he always greatly respects him but the idolitry disipates.

Although Samuel Johnson's conservativeness and strong opinions might turn people off I find it refreshing compared to the stealth tactics of politics today. Politicians don't say what they mean and that is also probably why the Doctor was discouraged from entering politics in his day by some close friends with ties in that area, somethings change only by degree. James Boswell, the author, didn't agree with the Doctor all the time but appreciated the hard, realistic way of looking at things and amusingly delivered (mostly by quirky analogies) that Samuel Johnson did.

Then Boswell is a story in himself. Boswell's Rousseau-ist fever for the notions of the 'Noble Savage, Natural Man' The Noble Savage: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 1754-1762 was interesting also; his generation caught it and he had strong sentiments towards it despite Johnson's arguments against its reasoning. This fever also, at the least, lent cover to the American Revolution.

Johnson could only afford one year of college. Received an honarary Doctorate for his dictionary.

One of the books one should read before they turn 20.

The best synopsis of Rousseau and in his own words is probably 'Creed of a Priest of Savoy' The Essential Rousseau (Essentials)

Reputations die hard
If you feel obliged to wade through the canon once in a while, this won't be a waste of your time, though these days Gibbon's roughly contemporaneous history is a much better read, Boswell's extreme formality being a bit wearing over 1200 pages (in the edition I read).
On the other hand, Boswell's telling of Johnson's life is sprightly and certainly not so tedious as the writings of Johnson himself. People who choose to read the Life will not be disappointed.
On yet another hand, I can easily understand why the library copy I borrowed, though purchased in 1949, had not yet been read (the uncut pages showing me so): except to specialists, I would not recommend this book in lieu of, say, 1000 or so others.
I guess this actually is a useless review: if you have already decided to read this, you shan't have gone wrong; if you're looking for a good read, you're probably not looking here.

TRULY A WONDERFUL BOOK THAT JUST TAKES YOU TO ANOTHER TIME AND PLACE
I own the Penguins Classics edition but no matter.The story is wonderfully rich.Boswell really is a master story teller because at no point did the story become dry.I literally read and savored every single word.

All I knew of Johnson is that he wrote the first English Dictionary.But I had no idea this man was full of wit.He had a temper no doubt and definitely went through periods of what sound like moderate to severe depression followed by periods of bursting with energy, joy and wit and incredibly prolific and productive in those bursts, enough so that he surprised most people with his abilities in those bursts of creative genius.I am biased as I am a psychiatric physician but it sound like bipolar disorder to me.

Whatever the case may be, I drank this book up.I'm still reading it, have about 40 pages left and haven't put it down since I picked it up.

A must read just because of the sheer wonderful story contained within!

It's a book
Haven't read it yet.But the processing job on the book itself was faulty...several pages were bent over and thus not trimmed properly.

Biographical Master Classic.A Must for all Prose Lovers.
I have read alot of biographys until a recently a Cambridge graduate friend recommended the first great biography-Life of Johnson.My British friends have a much better view of literature at large than I do so I listening and purchased this piece.I only appreciated Samuel Johnson for his work with the first English Dictionary which a first edition now retails for over $35000.James Boswell his biographer deplicts his life with such vivid respect and admiration so as to make me better understand what a true friend can be.They obviously had a great relationship for more than 40 years.Samuel Johnson is captured with all his great and abundant humor and deep insight.I love this quote" One man may lead a horse to water but twenty may not make him drink".All in all it is 1400 pages worth reading because its insight into 18th century life in London is so heart felt.Additionally alot of the their conversations took place at a Pub called the Mitre.It is located on Mitcham high street in Tooting, UK.I lived near by and spent a few nights their with friends. Little did I realize I was in the very pub where so many infamous conversations took place some two hundred years ago.A great read. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (1)

"the sovereignty of words"
While dearly priced, this book is a wonderful addition to the library of every serious student of the English language.

Professors Kolb and DeMaria are fully up to the daunting task of editing the works of such a master of English as was Johnson.

I do quarrel with the editors' decision to use the original French, without translation, in several footnotes, as I --- and I suspect as many others in our country who are keenly interested in Johnson -- do not read that language. As SJ himself said, "...few ideas would be lost to mankind, for want of English words, in which they might be expressed." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Johnson's political views, examined in detail
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Donald Greene's readings of Johnson's political behavior, and the pieces he wrote (including not just the pamphlets of the 1770's, but also the Parliamentary debates and early tracts) clarifies our understanding. Boswell just wasn't as thorough on these matters, nor was W. Jackson Bate. This book, simply speaking, is invaluable. ... Read more

Book Description
Originally published circa 1880. A discussion on the lives of fifty two of the most eminent English poets with critical observations on their works. Also added is "the Preface to Shakespeare" and the review of "The Origin of Evil." Includes a sketch of Johnson's life by Sir Walter Scott. Many of the earliest poetry books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Home Farm Books are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

In praise of Amazon and, of course, Dr Johnson
I, too, received only Vol. 2 of my order. Through Amazon's website I informed them and received an immediate response advising that a new order had been placed by them, that when I received it and was satisfied I was to return the sole volume to them. The replacement, both volumes, arrived within 7 days. After completion of the return form downloaded from their website the Vol. 2 for return was posted airmail at a cost of US$55 !! which sum I was assured would be refunded to me. The book arrived safely at Amazon and I have since received full refund of postage into my card account. All this took place most politely and amicably.
Well done Amazon.The dictionary keeps me out of mischief.

A Dictionary of the English Language...
I wish that I could review this book for all who might be interested but I can not. The reason that I am unable to discuss the book is that I was sent only one volume of a two volume set. When I called Amazon to inquire about the whereabouts of the second volume, I was told to return the book that I had received and Amazon would send the complete set to me in return. Ok, no problem right? Wrong! After returning the book, I was told that this item is out of stock. What?! Yes, out of stock... And they had the nerve to claim that the return mailing charges were my responsiblity. So, now I have no books and am out he postage incurred due to their mistake.
Thank you Amazon!
Signed,
A Former Customer

missing volume
This dictionary is quite brilliant in its evocation of the language in development - I am, however, still waiting for Amazon to send me volume 1 - which they seem to have lost!Make sure you get both volumes!

a tool that's also a pleasure
So, this is a dictionary, an expensive and outdated one. For a third the price you can have an Oxford dictionary in two volumes with just about every word used in English today and complete with magnifying glass to let you read the little bitty type. For three times the price you can have the 20-volume full-sized Oxford. Why spend the money on this dictionary?

Because it's so much more than a dictionary. It's a work of humor, literature, and culture. Johnson illustrates almost every word with a bit of literature that includes one of its earliest known uses. His choices reflect a wonderful sense of humor, as do some of his definitions. He also includes word etymologies. The result is a static picture of English as it was in the 18th century - the words, their use, the context that gave them meaning - but also a dynamic picture of English as it was becoming what it is today. As another reviewer (well, the only other reviewer to date) of this dictionary notes, Johnson's dictionary was THE dictionary of the great 19th century writers in English. Hence Johnson doesn't just capture the literary and linguistic past, he also presages its future.

This is a fun dictionary to just sit down and read. No other dictionary of English is so fun to read as this one. Even the best of them is really just a tool. This one is certainly a tool (I think that any serious writer should own this dictionary before all others), but it is also a pleasure.

Okay, it's also quite an expensive pleasure. The facsimile is of high quality, bound (as was the 1755 original) in two volumes (though unlike the original, in standard library bindings). It's solid and looks solid on the shelf, though not terribly pretty. If you feel extravegant paying that much for a dictionary, you might consider buying the paperback condensed version, which contains about a fifth of the original material at a twentieth the price of the facsimile. If that sells you on Johnson, then splurge on this version. You might end up spending many pleasant evenings reading the dictionary.

The OriginalBest Dictionary is Still a Great Resource
Yes, I gasped at the price tag, too. But I bought it anyway and I'm glad I did. I'm also hopeful that enough people will buy this so as to make more affordable reprints possible in the future, because in my mind it is worth the cost. Here's why.

First of all, this is a facsimile reprint of the First Edition (1755) of Samuel Johnson's classic Dictionary, even down to the printer's smudges on some pages. The paper is top quality acid-free stuff, so you can count on it lasting for a while. It is Library-Bound, with Library of Congress Reference numbers pre-printed on the spine, so if you're like me, it will look odd on your bookshelf. But I don't care, and I hope you won't either, because it is just so....useful.

A work of truly mammoth scholarship, this 2-volume set has contextual quotes from famous English authors (Newton, Milton, Shakespeare, et al) and etymologies (word origins) given for nearly every word's various meanings. It boggles the mind to think of the depth of knowledge required for this work. And even that assessment says nothing of its pieces on the history of English, and the grammatical preface that has since become the basis for all of our grammar books, each with textual examples.
There are drawbacks of course. The most obvious ones are the lack of pronunciation guides and the standard 18th-century "s"'s that look like "f"'s. It can pose a challenge to readability for publicly-schooled eyes like mine, but it gets easier if you associate a soft "S" sound (as in "hiss") with this symbol. Then there are the imperfections (from a modern standpoint) in the definitions: some are now-outdated (see "Electricity"), some are borne of bitter experience (see "Lexicographer"), and there is even the odd factually incorrect definition or two. But such cases are the very rare exception and not the rule.
All of that is nice to know, but the true measure of any reference work is its utility: Who uses it, and to create what? By that test, you and your family NEED regular access to this book; it is the reference book behind the greatest flowering of intellectual and linguistic achievement in the history of English as a language. This is the dictionary whose words inspired Wordsworth, Byron, Coleridge, Emerson, Blackstone, Sir Walter Scott, Oscar Wilde, and hosts of others both great and small.
If you compare its influence to, say, Webster's Unabridged edition, there is no dispute. Despite its near-universality for a century, Webster's dictionary can boast of no such list of writers with a similar command of the language as Johnson's. A closer look reveals why: If you do not know how a word is used, Webster's will leave you in the dark. Webster's offers no context for the words, few etymologies and hardly any usage examples. The meanings may be "right", but it does not enlighten or expand the mind in the process of finding those meanings; you might know "what," but you do not know "why."There is no such argument possible with Johnson. He shows you where great writers have used those same words to good effect, and by extension you can do it too.
Enlightenment toward truth and usefulness is what Great Works are all about, and Samuel Johnson's own personal enlightenment coming through this dictionary's pages is what makes it a Great Work in its own right. But this dictionary also imparts some that enlightenment to us, and makes us more capable of using the English language to make our own Great Works, and that is why it is still far superior to almost every other dictionary you can think of. ... Read more

Book Description
Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia, leaves the easy life of the Happy Valley, accompanied by his sister Nekayah, her attendant Pekuah, and the much-travelled philosopher Imlac. There journey takes them to Egypt, where they study the various conditions of men's lives, before returning home in a `conclusion in which nothing is concluded'. Johnson's tale is not only a satire on optimism, but also an expression of truth about the human mind and its infinite capacity for hope. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

When Is A Novel Not A Novel?
When Samuel Johnson published his THE HISTORY OF RASSELAS, PRINCE OF ABYSSINIA in 1759, his reading audience did not know quite what to make of it. It was brief, rambling, and read more like a tract on philosophy than a work of fiction. In fact, all three were valid conclusions. Its brevity is a given. Its rambling style is more of a comment on the author's mode of expression than on its content. And as for its unclear classification of genre, the reader of today is just as puzzled as the reader of Johnson's day.

For, Sam Johnson, as one of the leading figures of an age that prided itself on the harmonius and logical interaction between man and nature, it was inconceivable of him to indulge in any excess of the emotions. He did not deny their existence, but he definitely thought they should be subsumed into a rational linkage of heart to head. Given this, it is reasonable to assume that as far as RASSELAS is concerned, Johnson meant for his readers to value the implicit theme over the rambling plot.This theme he had earlier hinted at in his poem "The Vanity of Human Wishes." This poem dealt with pride as the great obstacle to human happiness. For RASSELAS, an equivalent obstacle lay in man's not knowing that the source of human happiness is always right there in front of his nose. Thus, any attempt to find happiness in the external world guaranteed the failure of that attempt.

The plot involved Rasselas, a prince of Abyssinia, who left the comfortable cocoon of his castle with three companions to find the happiness that they thought they lacked at home. As they travel they find strangers who are truly miserable. They also find those who are only too willing to rob them. The ending involves Rasselas' returning to his country in a manner that reminds me of THE WIZARD OF OZ, in which Judy Garland tells Auntie Em, "There's no place like home!" In THE ENGLISH NOVEL, Walter Allen notes that this book is "an expression of a stoicism that would be the deepest pessimism were it not for its author's almost despairing Christianity." I disagree. In Rasselas's return to his country, he has learned that in his duty to his subjects, he has found the same source of happiness as has Voltaire's Candide: the need to work one's own garden.

A Search for Happiness
Rasselas was a prince of Abyssinia, doomed to spend his life in "Happy Valley," unless he is chosen to be the King.In Happy Valley Rasselas' every need is met.He is fed and cared for and protected.However, Rasselas is unhappy in Happy Valley.Eventually he finds a man of the world who has come to Happy Valley and by the rules of entry, is now unable to leave.Eventually Prince Rasselas, the poet Imlac, Princess Nekayah and her handmaid Pekuah find a way to leave Happy Valley to journey into the world.

The travelers leave with a quantity of jewels so that they might find their way made easier, as poor travelers typically find their travels harsh.They begin to visit many different kinds of people in an effort to find happiness and thus be helped in deciding their "choice of life."The group visit common people, shepherds, an astronomer, teachers, a wealthy man, and many others.However, the group encounters an unexpected problem; they are unable to find a person who is happy.Even people who appear happy often turn out to have complaints regarding their life.The apparently happy wealthy man complains that others want his wealth.The shepherds turn out to want to live somewhere else.Everyone is dissatisfied with their lot in life.

Adding to the complexity of their search is that people take advantage of the seekers.Some people scam them out of their money.The Princess and Pekuah are kidnapped by desert raiders seeking to ransom them.It seems as though the world is a harsh place compared to Happy Valley.The seekers wonder how anyone can be happy in such a harsh and unforgiving world.

Rasselas is a philosophical tale that wonders about the nature of happiness.However, be careful of your expectations because Rasselas does not provide any ready-made answers.The answers are left to the reader.My observation regarding Rasselas and his band of travelers is that those they encountered would have thought that Rasselas led a happy life because he and his group were able to travel freely where they liked, learning new things and meeting new people.Little did the seekers realize that while they were searching for happiness they were happy.

Rasselas provides an opportunity for a person of learning to contrast his life with those who seek to find something without that is truly within.For those who look, the answer is there, including the answer to where happiness lies.Rasselas was closer than he knew, but he knew not where to look.Unfortunately the learned Imlac provide no assistance and, indeed, steered Rasselas further from the truth.

Typically philosophy books are difficult to read because they tackle complex arguments in ways that are difficult to follow.In the case of Rasselas the search for the choice of life and the search for happiness are told as a parable, making the reading somewhat easier.However, Samuel Johnson wrote this story more than two centuries ago, and the writing style and vocabulary used are likely to be challenging for many.Balancing the difficulty in reading the story is that the story is not long.

Considered by many to be a classic, here is a book that anyone who has styled himself a philosopher or just a seeker after truth should read.

A book to be read again and again
Modern America is obsessed with the pursuit of happiness. It is in the Declaration of Independence, after all. Supposedly, the pursuit of happiness is one of our "inalienable rights."

The brilliance of Samuel Johnson is that he understood that those who seek happiness are the very ones who will never find it. This book is all about Rasselas and his friends as they try to figure out which "choice of life" will lead to happiness.

The conclusion of the book is that no choice of life will truly make you happy in this world. Happiness only comes after death when we meet up with our Maker.

The key is to simply accept life as it comes. Do not try to find happiness. If you stop searching for happiness, you will be shocked suddenly when you realize that something like happiness has snuck into your life by the back door. How did that get there?

This profound and wise insight is written with the usual Johnsonian artistic and literary brilliance. A must read for modern people who think happiness is something you can buy.

an overall great book
The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia was a disheartening story about a prince who leaves the "happy valley" to pursue the choice of life.The princess and the prince, as well as the princess's favorite and their guide, enquire with all types of people in different positions to assist them in making their choice of life.I focused more on the philosophy than the story, and this, in the end, did nothing more than reassure me on the downfalls of human nature and society.It was enjoyable to read such a melancholy message expressed in an artistic and imaginative way, as I do not think that anything else would have lifted my spirits more than to know that although the downfalls illustrated in the book permeate our existence, people still retain creativity enough to express them in a pleasant way.This book is well written and the message is entertaining.It is a story that compliments the reader, as it can entertain with both its story and its opinions.

disheartening but excellent
'The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia' was a disheartening story about a prince who leaves the "happy valley" to pursue the choice of life.The princess and the prince, as well as the princess's favorite and their guide, enquire with all types of people in different positions to assist them in making their choice of life.I focused more on the philosophy than the story, and this, in the end, did nothing more than reassure me on the downfalls of human nature and society.It was enjoyable to read such a melancholy message expressed in an artistic and imaginative way, as I do not think that anything else would have lifted my spirits more than to know that although the downfalls illustrated in the book permeate our existence, people still retain creativity enough to express them in a pleasant way.This book is well written and the message is entertaining.It is a story that compliments the reader, as it can entertain with both its story and its opinions. ... Read more

Book Description
With these two volumes Princeton University Press concludes the first scholarly edition of the letters of Samuel Johnson to appear in forty years. Volume IV chronicles the last three years of Johnson's life, an epistolary endgame that includes the breakup of the friendship with Hester Thrale and a poignant reaching out to new friends and new experiences. Volume V includes not only the comprehensive index but those undated letters that cannot confidently be assigned to a specific year, "ghost" letters (those whose existence is documented in other sources), three letters that have recently been recovered, and translations of Johnson's letters in Latin. Bruce Redford is Professor of English at the University of Chicago and the author of The Converse of the Pen: Acts of Intimacy in the Eighteenth-Century Familiar Letter (Chicago). From reviews of Volumes I, II, and III: "The publishing event of the year. . . ."--Andrew Marr, The Independent Weekend ""I am sorry not to owe so much, but to repay so little.' Gratitude for such memorable sayings is in order, not only to Dr. Johnson but to Dr. Redford. These, the first three volumes of five, have been edited with skill, acumen, and learning. Handsome in design, consistent and economical in procedures, respectful, this edition will come to replace that of R. W. Chapman forty years ago."--Christopher Ricks, The New Criterion "There have been serious editions of Dr. Johnson's correspondence before, . . . but this one, done in an appropriately grand manner, supersedes them all."--Frank Kermode, Sunday Telegraph "The Letters of Samuel Johnson, superbly edited by Bruce Redford, [are] beautifully printed and bound . . . three volumes so far and two to come. I found the letters a revelation of Johnson's personality."--Sir Alec Guiness, in "Books of the Year," The [London] Sunday Times "A magnificent compendium. . . ."--A. N. Wilson, The London Evening Standard "Mr. Redford's readers--and the readers were the only persons in whom Johnson put his trust--will rightly thank the editor of these three volumes, a labor of love as well as of scholarship."--Asa Briggs, The Washington Times "To read Johnson's letters is to get at the very soul and intellect of the late eighteenth century. With the help of Bruce Redford and Princeton University Press, the opportunity is here for the taking."--Michael Seidel, New York Newsday "This promises to be the most complete and accurate scholarly edition of Johnson's letters to date, including letters previously unknown and portions of letters previously expurgated. But, while the editor's emphasis has been on providing an edition for scholars, there is much that will appeal to the common reader, from the forthrightness of Johnson's opinions to the majestic undulations of his prose style."--Merle Rubin, The Christian Science Monitor ... Read more