Sometimes You Can't Go On
January 20, 2006
I tried reading Boswell's Life of Johnson, the 18th century biography that is a literary classic. My copy was a 650 page edition that was abridged. I thought I'd give it a try and see why the book was considered significant. Well, I enjoyed aspects of it, particularly some of the language which was funny to me (though I'm sure it wasn't intended that way). This was much less stilted and easier to read than most 18th century stuff, which may be why it was an important and much read book at one point. But after fifty pages or so, I just tired of it and the prospect of 600 more pages was too much. Sure, there are probably some good things in there, but I wasn't up to the work. Maybe when I'm retired and can sit by the shore and read or something?
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