Samuel Johnson was in his era what E.F. Hutton was in his. When the Doctor spoke, people listened. His sidekick and amanuensis, James Boswell, of course immortalized his utterances in one of the grandest biographies ever written. What this volume (and similar collections) indicates is that Johnson was equally irrepressible in print.

Johnson was nothing if not opinionated. Yet, coming from him, they are never merely opinions. There is always a great degree of heft and weight supporting them (no pun intended, as he was an immense man physically as well as intellectually)). Though he received only an honorary degree from Oxford (he was too poor to remain at school), he was one of the most learned men of any era. The range and breadth of his reading is unsurpassed by any other major literary figure, with the possible exception of Milton. Yet Johnson never comes across as overblown, nor does he ever trumpet his learning. His writing is informed be a sense of humility and compassion, that no doubt were among the attributes that endeared him to so many of the leading lights of his generation. And of course, he also had a marvelous sense of humor, which also comes through in this collection. Unfortunately for him, his good moods were often followed by serious bouts of depression, which is reflected in his most famous poem, "The Vanity of Human Wishes." By today's standards, he would be diagnosed most probably as a manic-depressive. There were many days when he found it difficult to summon the resolve to get out of bed and face the day. What saved him was his naturally gregarious nature. He thoroughly enjoyed the company he found in London's taverns.

His compassion for others is legendary. He thought that the character of a country was determined by the degree to which it ministered to the poor. He was an ardent foe, as exhibited in one of his "Idler" articles, of so-called scientific experimentation on animals. He viscerally describes the cruel and inhumane use that dogs were subjected to by anatomy researchers in his era. It is one of the most compellingly moving diatribes against this still-controversial subject that one is likely to encounter. One of the marks of great authors is that they say things we sometimes think of ourselves in such an adroit and pithy manner that we think they could not be better expressed. Take this Johnson quote on "idleness," for example: "As pride sometimes is hid under humility, idleness is often covered by turbulence and hurry. He that neglects his own duty and real employment, naturally endeavors to crowd his mind with something that may bar out the remembrance of his own folly, and does anything but what he ought to do with eager diligence, that he may keep himself in his own favor."

Dr. Johnson was also one of the foremost literary critics in history. Though one may not always agree with his assessments, one has to acknowledge the force of his arguments. In his encomiums to such writers as Shakespeare, Milton and Pope, he intermittently sprinkles censure. For those of us who don't like to see our icons brought down to earth, this is sometimes painful. What Johnson is really doing, however, is showing us that our own judgments are often unbalanced, and we fail to see what are real flaws in the great edifices. Johnson is never interested in pure panegyrics. His task is to examine the entire picture and to report as accurately as possible the grandeur, as well as the shortcomings of a work, whether it is Pope's Iliad, Shakespeare's Hamlet, or Milton's Paradise Lost. If there is a last word that could be said to have been delivered on these monumental works, it may well be Johnson's.

If you haven't visited the Doctor recently, do yourself some good and remedy the situation.

This book, written after meticulous research by a highly respected local historian, is the single best source of information about a culturally rich, historically significant city in the American Southwest. Positioned on the western edge of the Confederate South, the eastern edge of the Wild West of romantic lore, and the northern edge of the Mexican borderlands, San Antonio combines elements of each to create a city of unique charm and interest for the first time visitor or long time resident. This book provides a wealth of information behind the scenes on how San Antonio came to be an enchanted city.

Do you know anyone who has ever ordered anything through the mail? Well, how about a bride. Jacob, Anna and Caleb's father, lost his wife and was left to raise his two children alone. He decided that he should find another mother for his children. Sarah responed to his advertisment and sent him correspondence in order to introduce herself to Jacob and his family. She described herself as being plain and tall. In this by Sarah Plain and tall the reader learns how people get to know eachother. I enjoyed this book because it described how Jacob was able to get along without his wife, yet he still wanted more for his children. I think it is an important lesson to put family frist.

This book is an excellent reference to those interested in satellite TV based on the Multichoice DVB standard. It gives information on installation and also on how digital satellite TV works. Recommended to viewers in Southern Africa who want to know more about how satellite TV actually works.

This book was very encouraging. Although I had intended to merely skim this book, I ended up reading it.

Having grown up a teetotaler, I never considered wine for pleasure or health. Now that I enjoy wine for pleasure, it is great news to see all of the health benefits. This book tells about many of those benefits and their sources. Of course, there are the warning about abuse and how those types of concerns have kept wine from being "promotoed" in the U.S. That is unfortunate.

If you want to have an idea of how to have fun and live longer having fun, start with this book. More research comes out all the time, but this book is an excellent primer so that you really know what you are talking about.

LOVE IT! My fourth graders and I embark on a lengthy study ofthe Everglades each year and to my surprise when I went book huntingthis year I found this extraordinary resource. This book offers so many opportunities academically, aesthetically, and otherwise. My children and I could not wait to share the next poem in our literature circles....they were disappointed when we finished it! The pictures are gorgeous and we especially enjoyed reading the notes the author includes about each poem at the end of the book. This is a must have book for any nature lover!

This book offers a wide variety of styles and tastes to perform. It also has the plays divided into 2 men, 2 women, and one of both, and 19 monlogues. So it will match whatever your cast are. There are plays for all races and back grounds.

I'm a graduating senior and i just bought this book to get myself ready for college this year! It's an amazing book and is easy to understand.

This book was good. I'm 9 years old and I liked this book. I would recommend this book for other girls, not really boys.

The Science of life: Projects and Principles for Beginning Biologists is an interactive and educational children's book suitable for children ages 9 and up. This book is based on the most fundamental principle of science known as the scientific method and is organized according to the five kingdoms of life. It teaches real-life science such as how antibiotics work, how bread molds, and how insects communicate. If you would like to speak to me regarding this work, contact me at the address above. Also, please feel free to promote this book in any positive way as your institution had a significant influence on this book.