Boswell's books

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Since the publication of The Life of Johnson in 1791, James Boswell has been celebrated as one of our greatest authors. The discovery of his journals and papers in the twentieth century has led to extensive scholarly examination of his life and work. However, no one has previously documented the books in his personal library. Terry Seymour has meticulously analyzed Boswell family inventories, auction sales, and historical records to reconstruct a comprehensive list of over 4,500 entries, representing not only James Boswell's library but also that of his father, grandfather, and two sons. The shared literary heritage of these four generations necessitates a holistic study of the Auchinleck library. The extensive introduction traces the library's history from the 14th century to the present, employing forensic methods to uncover the fate of these books after Boswell's death. Many entries provide detailed provenance, including accounts of stolen and missing books, and feature transcriptions of Boswell's own handlist, his wife's inventory, and a rare catalogue of Greek and Latin Classics. The work includes illustrations of Boswell's ownership inscriptions, bookstamps, a previously unpublished family portrait, and details of his relationships with figures like Samuel Johnson and David Garrick. Additional features include a provenance index, title index, and an index of booksellers, publishers, and printers.