Edgar Johnson (1) (1901–1995)
Author of Charles Dickens: His Tragedy and Triumph
For other authors named Edgar Johnson, see the disambiguation page.
About the Author
Johnson is one of the preeminent biographers of the twentieth century; his industriousness and thoroughness place him in the tradition of the multivolume writers of the nineteenth century who were his subjects. He began research for a biography on Sir Walter Scott in 1956, started writing in 1961, show more and ended up at the end of the decade with a manuscript of 500,000 words in 78 chapters. Sir Walter Scott: The Great Unknown (1970) was awarded the American Heritage biography prize in 1969, at $20,000 considered the largest award in the U.S. for a literary work. Some critics preferred Johnson's biography to Scott's works; all agreed that it was a definitive account of a major author. Johnson is notable, also, as the biographer of Charles Dickens. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Works by Edgar Johnson
Associated Works
Letters from Charles Dickens to Angela Burdett-Coutts,1841-1865 — Introduction — 3 copies
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 1901
- Date of death
- 1995
- Gender
- male
- Education
- Columbia University
- Occupations
- biographer
author
Distinguished Professor of English - Organizations
- City College of New York
- Awards and honors
- American Academy of Arts and Letters (Literature ∙ 1975)
- Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Brooklyn, New York, USA
- Place of death
- Albany, New York, USA
- Associated Place (for map)
- New York, USA
Members
Reviews
If I read the numbers I erased from the fly page correctly, I paid $25.00 for this dusty, tattered, two-volume biography of Dickens in a favorite used book shop (previous owner-one, Ellen Shaffer).
I generally stick to their $1.00 deals, but having determined that "David Copperfield" was the best book ever ever ever written, I can see why I might have splurged.
I hadn’t gotten around to reading it yet, when, in 2015, I attended a reading performance of “A Christmas Carol” by Dicken’s show more great great grandson, Gerald Dickens, at Rogers Gardens in Newport Beach (CA).
I'd brought the first of the two volumes along in hopes of an autograph [why I erased the price I paid :-) ], and was delighted to actually get it! As Gerald signed his name in an artistic flourish, he remarked that this biography of Dickens was his favorite. This prompted me to begin reading. But having little time for the actual fastening of my eyes to print, I’ve only just finished.
My goodness! I can’t imagine a more thoroughly researched, or conceived biography! The notes and bibliography alone proclaim how much time, thought, and research went into compiling and authoring this masterpiece! I hadn’t previously given much thought to all that a biographical author endures with procuring interviews, gathering and piecing together scraps of receipts, snippets from letters, diaries, play bills, manuscripts and what-have-you, from across the world and decades, to assemble something coherent--all the while infusing life and heart back into 80 year-old material; until I took a gander at all the notes at the end of each volume, crediting sources and noting when dates from one source disagree with dates from another and why one was chosen over others. And then there's the similar process of selecting and deselecting sources: one letter is mentioned in the source notes as having been disregarded in the biography, as most likely a fraud, judging by date discrepancies and excessive details supposedly being relayed by the letter’s author, a relative, to a recipient who would have known Dickens too well to have needed such details (such as the listing of all of Dickens children).
But, enough about the notes—the authorship of this biography is hardly short of Dickensian writing itself! No wonder it’s Gerald’s favorite. Each time we get to the writing of a particular novel, we are treated to an excellent critical essay on the work as well as details of the writing—often provided us through quotes of the many letters Dickens wrote to his long-time friend, John Forster, whom he’d met in 1836, when they were all of 24 (Forster being just 2 years Dickens’ junior) seeking advice and sharing thoughts about what he planned to write, or was in the process of writing, and how he was feeling about either.
I come away from this biography feeling that Charles Dickens was as much an actor and philanthropist, as a writer--so energetically expressive as to always seem bigger than life, and bearing a heart with compassion to fill an ocean.
Well done, Mr. Johnson!!! (Edgar Johnson, 1902-1995) show less
I generally stick to their $1.00 deals, but having determined that "David Copperfield" was the best book ever ever ever written, I can see why I might have splurged.
I hadn’t gotten around to reading it yet, when, in 2015, I attended a reading performance of “A Christmas Carol” by Dicken’s show more great great grandson, Gerald Dickens, at Rogers Gardens in Newport Beach (CA).
I'd brought the first of the two volumes along in hopes of an autograph [why I erased the price I paid :-) ], and was delighted to actually get it! As Gerald signed his name in an artistic flourish, he remarked that this biography of Dickens was his favorite. This prompted me to begin reading. But having little time for the actual fastening of my eyes to print, I’ve only just finished.
My goodness! I can’t imagine a more thoroughly researched, or conceived biography! The notes and bibliography alone proclaim how much time, thought, and research went into compiling and authoring this masterpiece! I hadn’t previously given much thought to all that a biographical author endures with procuring interviews, gathering and piecing together scraps of receipts, snippets from letters, diaries, play bills, manuscripts and what-have-you, from across the world and decades, to assemble something coherent--all the while infusing life and heart back into 80 year-old material; until I took a gander at all the notes at the end of each volume, crediting sources and noting when dates from one source disagree with dates from another and why one was chosen over others. And then there's the similar process of selecting and deselecting sources: one letter is mentioned in the source notes as having been disregarded in the biography, as most likely a fraud, judging by date discrepancies and excessive details supposedly being relayed by the letter’s author, a relative, to a recipient who would have known Dickens too well to have needed such details (such as the listing of all of Dickens children).
But, enough about the notes—the authorship of this biography is hardly short of Dickensian writing itself! No wonder it’s Gerald’s favorite. Each time we get to the writing of a particular novel, we are treated to an excellent critical essay on the work as well as details of the writing—often provided us through quotes of the many letters Dickens wrote to his long-time friend, John Forster, whom he’d met in 1836, when they were all of 24 (Forster being just 2 years Dickens’ junior) seeking advice and sharing thoughts about what he planned to write, or was in the process of writing, and how he was feeling about either.
I come away from this biography feeling that Charles Dickens was as much an actor and philanthropist, as a writer--so energetically expressive as to always seem bigger than life, and bearing a heart with compassion to fill an ocean.
Well done, Mr. Johnson!!! (Edgar Johnson, 1902-1995) show less
Magnificent biography of Dickens, both of the man himself & also the world he lived in and how it shaped his writing. A must read for anyone interested in Dickens.
Book is in good condition but missing volumn one
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