book data
160 ratings, 3.52 average rating, 19 reviews
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published
February 1st 2008
(first published 1999)
by Melville Pub House
binding
Paperback, 100 pages
isbn
1933633441
(isbn13: 9781933633442)
description
The other great book by the man who wrote the dictionary: This is Dr. Samuel Johnson's beautiful, engaging, and ultimately inspiring story of a roy...more
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 275)
Read in October, 2008
recommended to Wayne by:
no onerecommends it for: everyone
If you think this is too ,too old hat for you then perhaps the fact that Jane Austen was a BIG fan may break down your prejudices. And pride? She loved and inherited Johnson's neoclassical balance of style exemplified in such of his sentences as:"Remarriage is the triumph of hope over experience" and "Marriage has many pains but celibacy has no pleasures." See where Jane tapped into that conciseness, wit and wisdom now ?
And both of these sentences are to be found ...more
And both of these sentences are to be found ...more
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Read in January, 2007
The ending of the story is left open to interpretation for the most part. After leaving their lives of luxury and seclusion, throughout the whole story the characters are on a search for happiness. They survey the lives of others in many different walks of life (a hermit, a merchant, a nobleman and his family, etc.) but wherever the characters go, they are unsuccessful because each person’s life has flaws. After surveying the various lives of other people and concluding that none of them were...more
Read in September, 2006
recommends it for:
anyone who's interested
Rasselas is under-appreciated. It is a series of fables revolving around a central story--the title character's choice of life. What sort of life is the most fulfilling? Sure, it's not excellent, but it is more fun than people say. I wrote a paper on it once.
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Read in September, 2008
Very interesting, concise read that might just spark your interest in Neo-classicism and biography, as so much of Johnson's philosophy here seems colored by his personal life, especially the death of his mother (he wrote Rasselas to make money to pay for her funeral). One of the most significant aspects of this moral/intellectual parable/tale is how Johnson uses it to hold court on the nature of poets and poetry (see Chapter X) and, more broadly, the untenable nature of happiness.
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Read in November, 2007
A really interesting book that I certainly wouldn't have picked up had I not taught it in my English Lit class earlier this school year. Its ultimate question, "can we be happy," brought forth oooodles of excellent discussions in class. It's the non-absurd 'Candide' for those interested in wandering novels that ask more questions than they answer. It's not a novel for those looking for action in any way, shape, or form.
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This beautifully packaged series of classic novellas includes the works of Anton Chekhov, Colette, Henry James, Herman Melville, and Leo Tolstoy. These collectible editions are the first single-volume publications of these classic tales, offering a closer look at this underappreciated literary form and providing a fresh take on the world's most celebrated authors.
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Read in January, 2000
recommends it for:
Searchers
Happiness is where you chose to find it. I used to move from place to place thinking that moving to another city would fix all my problems. There, I would rebuild my troubled relationships just with different people. This is kind of what the book is about.
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What can I say- I read it because it was on the "1000 Books to Read Before You Die," in its defense- it's short and easy to read. On the other hand, it's kind of a boring book- more like a series of philosophical digressions then a novel per se.
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Read in October, 2001
Another book I was forced to read in college, this one wasn't all that bad. I remember enjoying it, but I don't remember much else. Maybe I should pick it up again and re-read and see if I was right...
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Samuel Johnson's wit makes this novel worth reading. Plus, the plot will carry you along.
I'll admit that I did not choose this on my own. I read it for a class. But enjoyed it.
I'll admit that I did not choose this on my own. I read it for a class. But enjoyed it.
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Very interesting read, but written so long ago that I struggled a bit with the language differences. Chosen in a book club by a college English major.
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Read in January, 2007
A philosophical novel in the "quest" format imparted with spirit, beauty and intelligence. Enjoyable and thought-provoking from start to finish.
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I'm not a big Samuel Johnson fan, and I'm not a fan of being philosophized at, so this wasn't the greatest thing I've ever read.
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I haven't read any Samuel Johnson, other than essays on Shakespeare. This is apparently about the question, "Can we be happy?"
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Read in October, 2007
For those who want wisdom and humour.... Very good so far. (Confident it will remain so.)
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