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caterpillarnotebooks's review against another edition
mmm samuel johnson? bit of an asshole!
pixieauthoress's review against another edition
2.0
Read for:
EN1004: Explorers and Revolutionaries - Literature 1680-1830
This had some interesting comments about Scotland, and I particularly found the section on St. Andrews ironic considering that I'm currently studying at the university that he says will soon crumble into ruin. But other than that, there wasn't a lot in this book that appealed to me. If you're looking for an outsider's opinion on Scotland in the eighteenth century, this is your book. I'm sure it would be fascinating from a historical perspective. But considering I'm an English Literature student, I didn't exactly find this engaging. Although I will admit that I'm quite proud of my comparative essay on the use of language in this book and Austen's [b:Northanger Abbey|50398|Northanger Abbey|Jane Austen|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170368862s/50398.jpg|4039699]! Overall, interesting historically and linguistically but not exactly a book you'll keep reading under the covers with a flashlight because you want to know what happens on the next page. 4/10
EN1004: Explorers and Revolutionaries - Literature 1680-1830
This had some interesting comments about Scotland, and I particularly found the section on St. Andrews ironic considering that I'm currently studying at the university that he says will soon crumble into ruin. But other than that, there wasn't a lot in this book that appealed to me. If you're looking for an outsider's opinion on Scotland in the eighteenth century, this is your book. I'm sure it would be fascinating from a historical perspective. But considering I'm an English Literature student, I didn't exactly find this engaging. Although I will admit that I'm quite proud of my comparative essay on the use of language in this book and Austen's [b:Northanger Abbey|50398|Northanger Abbey|Jane Austen|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170368862s/50398.jpg|4039699]! Overall, interesting historically and linguistically but not exactly a book you'll keep reading under the covers with a flashlight because you want to know what happens on the next page. 4/10
pierreikonnikov's review against another edition
2.0
Not strong enough to be of anything but passing or specialist interest.
roseofoulesfame's review against another edition
3.0
Boswell's half of what I have termed 'Johnson and Boswell do Scotland' contains rather more quoting in Latin and discussing theology than I was expecting, but I still enjoyed this book, which (as you can see!) I read at a rate of about 2 pages per day. This worked well for me, as both parts are quite dense.
The two authors have different focuses and styles, which I thought worked well together. Kind of in awe of Johnson's memory and debating skills (though, like Boswell, I don't always agree with him!).
The two authors have different focuses and styles, which I thought worked well together. Kind of in awe of Johnson's memory and debating skills (though, like Boswell, I don't always agree with him!).
debshelf's review against another edition
3.0
I read this for my thesis class the semester after I returned from Scotland. It was nice to return, even if only in literary form.
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