Samuel Johnson. by Wain, John - 1975.

New York:: Viking Press, 1975.. Book of the Month Club Edition.. Hardbound . BINDING/CONDITION: black boards with black cloth at the spine; a Very Good book, with a Very Good dust jacket.. 8vo (about 9.5 inches tall) . Note on sources, index. Gray endpapers. Description: Includes a section of black and white plates. Following is taken from the publisher's blurb: ''Out of a lifelong interest in Johnson and out of the most comprehensive study of all aspects of Johnson scholarship, Mr Wain has written a narrative of the life and work of Dr Johnson which is in its own way as broad, as deep, as witty, and as wise as its subject. Mr Wain describe Johnson's early life in Lichfield, his stupendous intellectual energy; the struggle with poverty. The narrative then shifts to London, where Johnson, and his important first essays, emerged into English literary life. The central portions of this book concern themselves with the Herculean efforts that went into the preparation of the Dictionary and into the mature works of Johnson's late middle age.'' Mr Wain writes of his subject, ''He became very famous in middle and late life, but he mixed with people who were desperate human wrecks, some of whom were close friends.'' This was originally published in Great Britain in 1974.