Relevant Christmas Gifts ?

Did anyone else receive any?

I was fortunate enough to get both Boswell's Presumptuous Task, and Dr. Johnson and Mr. Savage, which I had not had. At the first of December, the same kind giver added the three-volume Life of Johnson, with annotations by Mrs. Thrale (or, more properly, Piozzi. I'm especially looking forward to Dr. Johnson and Mr. Savage.

Perhaps all five volumes - the three of the Life, plus the other two - can form the core of a Johnson & Boswell, or mid-to-late eighteenth century category for the 999 Challenge. Maybe I could add a volume of Joshua Reynolds, a Garrick play, and finally read The Deserted Village? (Or something along those lines.) If you didn't happen to get a suitable Turk's Head book, Johnsonian or not, have you a recommendation?

maybe you know abt. J Meyers' biog. of the great DR?
he's written one on Wyndham Lewis and a few others. the Meyers book is new.
merry christmas

No, I don't, actually. I tried searching by Meyers, but did not find anything obvious. What's the title?

(Merry Christmas, or happy Boxind Day-that-was, to you!)

Samuel Johnson: The Struggle. The other recent bio is Samuel Johnson: A Biography. They seem to often get reviewed together for the sake of contrast.

I received no relevant Christmas presents, but I, too, acquired the three-volume Life of Samuel Johnson with the marginalia by Mrs. Piozzi. I bought this set at Crackerhouse Books in Arcadia, Florida, along with two other relevant books: Boswell's Tour to the Hebrides and Samuel Johnson's Dictionary: A Modern Selection. I have yet to read Boswell's Tour . I will read this copy to avoid damaging the binding of my first edition of this work.

I received the new Peter Martin biography of Johnson for Christmas, am looking forward to reading it. Among my aspirations for 2009 are re-reading Boswell's biography and reading Boswell's diaries for the Hebrides tour (which formed the basis for the published book).

I've read Boswell's Tour to the Hebrides, but not Johnson's Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland, though I have that, also. So I think that, and maybe Charlotte Lennox's The Female Quixote, which I just bought, finally, are candidates, too.

Of the new biographies, Samuel Johnson: the Struggle looks (to me) the better of the two, though I hate the title. But do let us know how the Martin is, jfclark! Even my impression could be wildly wrong.

I'm only a few pages from the end of Dr. Johnson and Mr. Savage. They're unlikely to change my overall feelings. It's an engrossing read, but quick, not dense. Interesting on young Johnson, on Savage, and most of all on the inspiration for "London". Several times, things are said to be incongruous with the older Johnson, or Boswell's image of him. Yet I think, if one is really a reader of Johnson, and aware of likely human change, they're not too surprising.

Not to ask yet another question, but does anyone own, or have an opinion on, Dr. Johnson's London?

Picard's book is mostly an Alfred Leslie Rowse-like treatment of the quotidian of the 18th Cent. Londoners. Details of the lives of every sort from the rude-mechanicalls to the foppish types like Phillip Dormer. not much help, I'm afraid. But if you want to learn abt. such things as the wolfish table manners of the Docktor, etc. etc. This is your book.

Hm. You know, I asked about the wrong book. I have that one, and don't much like it. There's another similar book, by someone else, the title of which currently escapes me... Thank you, though, for what, given my question, is quite relevant help! ;)

hugh kingsmill & john wain, not the cowpoke, have readable Johnson biographies. and there is much matter in the Doctor's LIVES OF THE POETS. if you want to find the great man when he is at home: think of him standing out in the all day rain at Uttoxetter- i always screw up the spelling.
Epiphany is next on the calender.

Yes, I really loved the Wain. And I just acquired The Lives of the Poets, Vol. 1. (Also Anecdotes of the Late Samuel Johnson, LL.D.) As I recollect, one of my favorite things in the Wain biography, besides his sensitivity, was the championing of Johnson as a writer and a man, against any over-valuation of Boswell as the great writer and Johnson a mere subject allowing scope for him. Which is in no way to diminish Boswell. He's insanely engaging, and certainly worthy of respect for the accomplishment of the Life, if not in other areas.

for me "Bozzy" was born too long before his time; he was much better suited for our own lugubrious era. for the great lexicographer he was but a sweetner of his existance, a palliative. he made it possible in his way to let the magnificent Doctor doctor on. Boswell makes quite a show in Christian Deelman's THE GREAT SHAKESPEARE JUBILEE. An excellent study of Davy Garrick's ill-fated, and rather soggy festival to WS. "Davy" pleaded and pleaded to the heavens, but the rain it rained, and Erinyes & Co. shed not a tear.

Eurydice:

An odd volume of his works introduced me to Samuel Johnson. The book, sans both its covers, contained the Idler essays. I recommend them and the Rambler essays. Johnson's essays are kind of dry and drawn out for our day and age, but I still like them.

Moibibliomaniac, I don't think I've read his Idlers, but agree with you in liking the Ramblers. (Very much, in fact.)

Interesting recommendation, poor-ious.