This book is so widely and commonly referred to that it's hard to think what I can add. All I'll say is this: there are certain books that everyone knows they _should_ read, yet don't. This is probably one of them (Don Quixote may be another) but it's a shame. It's an easy read, and a pleasant one. Eighteenth Century England really comes alive in Boswell's writing. And of course, there are Johnson's bon mots throughout the book. ( )

Boswell must have worshipped the ground Johnson walked on. How else could he have meticulously kept track of so many conversations with the man? I'd say he kept a voice recorder, but it's the wrong century. Anyway, even in the apparently abridged version we are taken to 18th century England, behind the scenes with some of the time's leading intellectuals and their friends. Johnson certainly had a way with words, though I couldn't completely agree with all of his views (his disdain for the Scottish was off-putting.) HIs love for tea made up for some of this. Great armchair by the fireplace with a brandy reading. ( )

Excellent! Johnson was great master of conversation and you can grasp some of his wisdom from here. Second part of book brings recollection of many conversations that Johnson had in Boswell's company. You can randomly open there to read and still enjoy it. ( )

1533 The Life of Samuel Johnson L.L.D., by James Boswell Esq. (read 7 Sep 1979) I am glad to say that before I became 51 I am able to say I have read Boswell's Life of Johnson. I have been reading it for almost a month--it is a full 1200 pages long. The book is not too bad--it is rather amusing to read Boswell on Boswell, which there is a lot of in the book. There are also a lot of things one should remember in this book, but I doubt I can locate them. I won't find it, but too I was struck by (1) If a person prayed all the time, he'd be considered crazy. But someone who never prays, is not even noticed; (2) If a wife continually talked about the Arian heresy she'd be hard to live with. Johnson is the most famous person born on Sept 18. He was born in 1709 and died Dec 13, 1784. ( )

The best way to read Boswell's Life of Johnson is this way: via a somewhat cheesy, "classic library" volume of a Great Classics type of series. The book looks like one of those books you would find in the movie set of a lawyer's office, trying to look distinguished and old, although it feels plasticy.

We learn from other sources (outside of Boswell) that Boswell himself was something of an annoying 18th century star f__ker, but thank God he was - because reading this book is like being a part of a hundred dinner and parlour conversations with the wits and men of power in 18th century England. Funny bastards some of them were, too.

Skill in the art of conversation was the most highly prized talent, and Johnson was considered king of them all. This is a world steeped in The Classics, post Renaissance but pre Industrial/Scientific Revolution - that sweet spot where men were expected to venture to come up with a theory and interpretation about anything: how to talk, the way to cook a meal, where to travel, you name it. And Johnson always had an interesting and strong Theory of Anything.

Somehow it seems like nobody worked, they were just able to go to each other's houses, eat too much, drink hard, and talk smack about each other full time. Good times.

Today, Johnson would be considered a blowhard; narrow minded, reactionary, pompous, and egotistical. But that's why he's actually interesting.

This was a cool era because you would address your best friend as "Sir".

Ironically, Boswell's writing holds up better than Johnson's himself, but who cares about that history of literature crap.

If each book had a smell, this book would smell like really good roast beef, with some hard licks thrown in.

Sir, I am,

Your most humble reviewer,

&tc &tc ( )