Here are suggested readings for our discussion of Boswell's The Life of Samuel Johnson. Page numbers correspond to the Penguin Classics edition, edited by David Womersley, with years in brackets.

Don't panic! If one section doesn't grab you, move on to the next and explore in between. Much of the experience is in immersing yourself in Boswell's voice and method. Notice what he is noticing and consider why he chose to remember and include what he did. We learn much about Boswell himself, Johnson, and their times.

Pages:

19-21, 24-25 [1709], 38-39 [1726-28], 44 [1729], 48-49 [1732], 57-61 [1736-37], 68-69 [1738], 83-84 [1739]

104-06 [1747], 131-36 [1752], 139-43 [1754], 159-65 [1755-56], 169-79 [1756-58]

199-200 [1762], 204-11 [1765], 215-23, 226-29, 233-38, 244-52 [1763-64], 254-55 [1764], 257-60 [1765], 276-77 [1766], 281-85 [1767], 292-95 [1768]

304-06 [1769], 315, 342-45 [1772], 350-51, 369-74 [1773], 383-87, 397-99

400-12 [1773-74], 420-27 [1775], 435-47, 483 [1776]

502-11 [1776], 521-24, 533-57, 563-65, 574-81 [1777]

610-25, 629-33, 646-51 [1778], 655-58, 677-82, 685-99

700-10, 727-40 [1779], 749-50 [1780], 767-74, 781-86 [1781]

819-24, 849-57 [1782-83], 863-72 [1783]

916-18 [1784], 944-50, 999-1006