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James Boswell

Life of Johnson (Oxford World's Classics) Paperback – Unabridged, November 19, 1998

by James Boswell (Author), R. W. Chapman (Editor), J. D. Fleeman (Editor),

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Samuel Johnson was a poet, essayist, dramatist, and pioneering lexicographer, but his continuing reputation depends less of his modest literary output than on the fortunate accident of finding an ideal biographer in James Boswell. Surely no other biographer can have had more devotion to his subject, more opportunity to study him, or more talent in bringing him vividly to life than Boswell in his Life of Johnson. As Johnson's constant and admiring companion, Boswell was able to record not only the outward events of his life, but also the humour, wit, and sturdy common sense of his conversation. His brilliant portrait of a major literary figure of the eighteenth century, enriched by historical and social detail, remains a monument to the art of biography.

Print length

1536 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Oxford University Press
Publication date

November 19, 1998
Dimensions

7.6 x 2.4 x 5.1 inches
ISBN-10

0192835319
ISBN-13

978-0192835314
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"I don't need to tell you what a splendid service Oxford performs by having the complete Life available inexpensively and with Chapman's deft annotations and Rogers's smart and useful introduction."--Alexander Poffit, University of North Texas

"...An elegant study of currents and of undercurrents in the travellers' separate accounts of their journey to the Western Islands. Reading this book, we realize better than before what Johnson and Boswell, separately and together, were so passionately in quest of...be grateful for the imaginative
light [the book] throws on the mythic-seeming journey and on those mythic-seeming voyagers whose travels still haunt some of our waking dreams."--The Albion

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press; Unabridged edition (November 19, 1998)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 1536 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0192835319
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0192835314
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.7 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.6 x 2.4 x 5.1 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #5,109,391 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #3,575 in British & Irish Literature
- #9,621 in British & Irish Literary Criticism (Books)
- #23,352 in Author Biographies

Customer Reviews:
29 ratings

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Customer reviews

5 star		50%
4 star		21%
3 star		16%
2 star		6%
1 star		7%

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Top reviews from the United States

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frequent buyer

good addition

Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2016

Verified Purchase

My husband loves this book so much that his first copy wore out. It's not for everybody, but is a good edition if you like this book.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Random Bimms

Beware: This is ABRIDGED!!!!!!

Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2008

Verified Purchase

This is the abridged version! Don't get this!

I love Boswell's Life of Johnson, it is one of my favorite books in the world. (Definitely in the top five).

It has altered my outlook on life, the universe, and everything.... in a permanently positive manner.

But I absolutely hate, loath, and despise all pitiful "abridged" versions.

And I could not find anywhere on Amazon's page that this is abridged!

Now I have to send it back! What a pain!

28 people found this helpful

Helpful

Richard Boling

Classic in lousy shape

Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2014

Verified Purchase

Terrible, threadbare copy of an old Modern Library edition of Boswell's classic bio. Almost literally fell apart when I opened the package.

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Charlene Vickers

The paperback edition is reliable; the hardcover's suspect

Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 1999

Verified Purchase

For those interested in a reliable text, I suggest the "World's Classics" paperback edition. The hardcover edition, while attractive, is somewhat suspect.

10 people found this helpful

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R. J. Karger

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2014

Verified Purchase

Judged one of htest biographies ever written. Long, but well worth it.

Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2011

Verified Purchase

Boswell's Life of Johnson is an essential read for students of the period. Unfortunately, because of it length it's likely to be read in its entirety after one has retired. Abridgments will serve until then.

2 people found this helpful

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mark b.

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2015

Verified Purchase

New book--very pleased.

Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2017

Verified Purchase

All the good stuff is missing............

2 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Josephine

Billy Hartman's Boswell

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 5, 2014

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This book isn't new to me, but it is good to listen to. I wasn't acquainted with Mr Hartman, but he makes an excellent Boswell - has just the right kind of Edinburgh legal accent. Of course the book is brilliant, and there is a hidden dimension of humour in the fact that however deferential the author's tone towards his hero, he cannot suspect that he himself would be a more important writer and a tremendously interesting man.
I loved the careful, chronological and respectful presentation of Johnson's life.
I happen to want to pick a few bones with Johnson over some of his prejudices (like refusing to believe Gaelic was a literary language), yet at the end of this LIFE I can only sympathise with some of his trials. It is a well-rounded portrait - a delightful and curious listening experience.

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Life of Johnson (Oxford World's Classics) Paperback – Unabridged, November 19, 1998

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