As I post this blog entry, I myself am about 20 hours from turning 60, and so in thinking about my own life I also thought about Johnson’s at the same age. He was 60 in 1769. By that time, he had published most of the major works of his life — his influential edition […]
Well, enough about sex (here, here!), for now. One of Johnson’s closest friends in his latter years, and frankly one that accommodated him (literally and figuratively) and put up with a lot of his idiosyncrasies, was Hester Thrale. He met her for the first time in 1765, when he was 55 and she was 23, […]
In Part 1 of this topic, I concentrated on sex work in general in both centuries, but in this post I will focus on the specific detail of how sex workers made money. This may seem obvious, but in a telephone interview I did with William Savage on September 6, for example, he talked about […]
If you collected all of the things that Johnson said and assumed about women, as reported by Boswell and others, and showed them to 21st-century eyes, it wouldn’t necessarily portray a positive or progressive stance. Some of his words have become pretty infamous, like the one about what it’s like to witness a woman preaching […]
Johnson was an excellent writer, was able to compose his sentences quickly if necessary, and didn’t hesitate to say exactly what was on his mind. Sometimes the latter manifested in tersely blunt assessments or advice, and sometimes it was couched in language that was no less frank but a bit more diplomatic and respectful. Many […]
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
▬
… 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