James Boswell

Leask, W. Keith (William Keith), 1857-1925Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.4

Word count: 269K words
Chapters: 27

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.James Boswell by W. Keith LeaskAuthor: Leask, W. Keith (William Keith), 1857-1925,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Aug 5, 2009

Editor's review

This biography of James Boswell by W. Keith Leask is a concise critical account of Boswell's life, well suited as an introduction to this key figure in English biographical literature. Leask follows a fairly traditional biographical-critical approach, tracing Boswell's life and literary standing, with emphasis on his association with Dr. Johnson and the background to the writing of The Life of Johnson. The book also offers glimpses of the eighteenth-century English literary scene, helping readers understand how biography moved from compilations of sources toward the portrayal of character. As a Project Gutenberg public-domain e-book, it is easy to obtain and complete in text, suitable for reading through or searching on an electronic device. The language is English, with the prose habits of early twentieth-century biographical criticism; sentence structures tend toward the formal, so readers with little experience of nonfiction may need some adjustment. Overall, this is a lightweight but information-dense biographical study, suitable as supplementary material for the study of English literary history and biography.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in English biographical literature and Dr. Johnson's circle
English literature students needing background material on Boswell
Nonfiction readers accustomed to English public-domain books who prefer short critical biographies
Beginners in research seeking to understand eighteenth-century English literary figures and their relationships

Not a good fit for

Readers hoping to read Boswell's original full-length Life of Johnson
Beginners who struggle with long English sentences and need a Chinese translation
Academic researchers expecting a detailed chronological study or extensive annotations

Reading tips

Begin with the table of contents and the opening and closing chapters to grasp Leask's overall judgment of Boswell's life, then return to the central critical discussion.
Note names and titles as you read and look them up alongside general knowledge of eighteenth-century English literature; this greatly reduces difficulty.
Use it as background reading before The Life of Johnson: first build a framework of the relationships, then approach the original.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book written by Boswell himself?

No. The author of this book is W. Keith Leask. It is a critical biography of James Boswell that discusses his life and literary contributions, not an autobiography or original work by Boswell.

Can I understand it without a background in English literature?

You can read it, but it requires some patience. The book involves figures and works from the eighteenth-century English literary world. It is advisable to first learn the basics about Dr. Johnson and The Life of Samuel Johnson; reading will then go more smoothly.

Is this book suitable for academic citation?

It is an early critical biography and can serve as a reference for understanding traditional views, but it should not be used as the sole basis. For specific historical facts, it is advisable to consult modern scholarly editions and primary sources.

Comments

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About the author

Leask, W. Keith (William Keith), 1857-1925 Author · Scottish · 1857–1925

William Keith Leask (1857–1925) was a Scottish author known for writing popular works on British history, seafaring, and biography. His books were aimed at general readers and valued clarity and readability in narration rather than heavy scholarly investigation. Two of his works are held in this collection: one on Hugh Miller and one on James Boswell, both biographical writings that show his ability to present a life and its times around a particular figure. He also wrote on British history and maritime subjects, combining factual narrative with storytelling so that readers could readily follow. Public information about his life is limited; beyond his birth and death years, little is known about his education or career. His contribution is therefore best judged by the subjects and style of his works: readable popular accounts that helped bring British history and biography to a wider audience.