Johnson as biographer
I've been struck by how much thoughtful reflection there is in the postings on this forum. Let's spend a few minutes reading them, as usual, and then go around and invite people to draw attention to one passage in a posting that you think worth considering. Remember, too, that the focal question was, what, by reading the beginning of these two biographies, can we learn about:
On Monday we'll consider Johnson's periodical writing, as assigned by the periodical essays group. Please don't miss reading, as well as the assignments in the main wiki page, the comments from individual members of the group linked at the bottom of the page.
Because we have a bit more time, let's do some of the reading and choosing on line. Please post your reflection by Saturday night, so that on Sunday and Monday we can read each others' reading journals -- and choose one passage or idea you'd like to talk about in class. Post your suggestion of a point or issue for discussion as a reply to the posting you choose.
Finally, on Wednesday, we'll look at Johnson, Boswell, and Scotland, as assigned by the Johnson's own biography group.