Achievement of Samuel Johnson

by Walter Jackson Bate

Book by W. Jackson Bate

Genres: History

260 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1978

About the author

Literary critic Walter Jackson Bate twice won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography, first for his work on the Romantic poet John Keats, and later for that on lexicographer Dr. Samuel Johnson.

Reviews

[Marcus Goncalves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most of us today don’t think of mention Johnson. I discovered him in my educational training. What an influential figure. The author does a great job describing Johnson’s story, personal achievement, and moral vision.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This the best book I have read that gives a reader some sense of the uniqueness and attraction of Samuel Johnson. It will take many more other authors to more fully paint the picture of Johnson. But, given that individual books are usually one volume and less than 1,000 pages, this book is an efficient and effective way to understand Johnson.

[Andrew Bishop · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best treatments of Johnson that I've read. A short book, but filled with useful content about the relevance and accomplishment of Johnson's work. Maybe not the best introduction for anyone new to Johnson, it remains one of the best short works on him as well as a highlight of my Johnson library.

[Erik]

Recommended by James Schall in Another Sort of Learning, Chapter 20, as one of Ten Books on the Humanities.