During part of the time when I was writing My Sam Johnson, I maintained a blog and a podcast, partly about the process, but mostly with anecdotes from Sam’s life. I put both on hiatus in 2021 for a very practical purpose: so that I could have more time to finish the book. Well, now […]
Friendship was one of the most important things that Sam valued in life. He complained about many things, and many things gave him pain, but he constantly reiterated the value of having friends And, as this quote illustrates, he knew that those friendships had to be tended to as well. You couldn’t just assume that […]
Sam not only prayed frequently but also wrote his own prayers, sometimes tailored for a specific occasion, and sometimes simply composing something original instead of mouthing a well-known prayer, a passage from the Bible, or something like that. When he was nearly 60 (in the year 1768) he in fact transcribed many of his prayers, […]
I own about 15 modern biographies of Sam Johnson as well as another 15 written by his contemporaries. Some are long; some are short. Some are scholarly; some are not. Some are comprehensive; some cover an aspect or a period of Sam’s life. I thought it would be interesting to pick a single incident from […]
Thousands of letters that Sam sent during his lifetime, from his early 20s to his mid-70s, have survived to this day (and mostly, fortunately, are in the care of large academic libraries), and so his signature is a pretty familiar sight to anyone who studies, reads about, or just keeps up with all-things-Sam. Here it […]
A well-researched introduction … This book features many of Johnson’s quotes, along with Jones’ accompanying learned commentary and historical context. Although the author doesn’t hide his admiration for his subject, he’s also unafraid to explore Johnson’s personal difficulties, including episodes of depression, and personal aspects, such as his sexual habits. As a biography that targets general readers, the book more than succeeds in its mission to offer an accessible account of Johnson’s life and work in fewer than 200 pages. Jones, the author of multiple books and a former academic librarian, is a skilled writer who carefully balances erudite literary analysis with an engaging writing style. The book’s impressive research is backed by a network of endnotes and a bibliography, both of which reflect a firm command over Johnson’s extensive work and relevant scholarly literature alike.
— KIRKUS REVIEWS
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… As an entry point into further reading aimed at general readers, Jones’ book explores Sam’s writing (his livelihood) and his person. Short “Digressions” from the chronology of major events, such as the failures (running a school) and the accomplishments in Sam’s life are segued between the chapters. The digressions serve to contextualize Sam in a colorful, historical snapshot of eighteenth-century Britain. The book turns readers on to Sam’s writing by explanation, historical interest, and tribute. His life is chronicled according to his writings. Foremost is one of the first-ever dictionaries … Another digression inquires into his dissatisfied sexual life and his both loving and tense relations with his wife and a good female friend. Full of facts as well as anecdotes, illustrations, and an index for further reading, this is an honest and compassionate portrayal of a lesser-known literary figure worth knowing more about.
— THE US REVIEW OF BOOKS