James Boswell wrote a biography of English author Dr. Samuel Johnson in 1791 titled The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. The book was an immediate critical and commercial success and marked a turning point in the evolution of the contemporary biography genre. It stands out for its in-depth descriptions of Johnson's discourse. Although many have hailed it as the finest biography ever written in English, other contemporary critics disagree, saying the work cannot be regarded as a legitimate biography.In 1763, when Johnson was 54 years old, Boswell first saw his subject personally; he then conducted more studies to span the whole of Johnson's life. Johnson's life is heavily distorted in the biography since Boswell alters many of his quotations and even suppresses some of his comments. However, the book is regarded as both a significant literary work and a source of knowledge about Johnson and his day.Although there are several biographies and biographers of Samuel Johnson, the most well-known and often read one today is James Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson.
Scottish biographer, lawyer, and ninth Laird of Auchinleck James Boswell was born in Edinburgh. His biography of his friend and more senior colleague, the English author Samuel Johnson, is best known and is regarded as the best biography ever written in the English language. Boswell began his studies at the University of Edinburgh's arts program when he was thirteen years old which he attended from 1753 to 1758. Though he experienced a significant depression halfway but fully recovered. He was transferred to the University of Glasgow to complete his studies after turning nineteen, where he heard lectures by Adam Smith. Boswell made the decision to become a Catholic monk while he was still in Glasgow. In February 1766, Boswell traveled back to London with Rousseau's lover, with whom he briefly had an affair while on the road. On November 25, 1769, Boswell wed his cousin Margaret Montgomerie. Boswell urged the Home Secretary to assist four Botany Bay escapees, including Mary Bryant, in obtaining royal pardons in 1792. Due to a venereal condition and years of heavy drinking, his health started to deteriorate during this period. On May 19, 1795, Boswell passed away in London. His body was laid to rest in the crypt of the Boswell family mausoleum in Ayrshire.
