A very fine multiple biography of the members (plus friends and relatives) of the Club that is today called the London Literary Society. The story runs until the time of the death of James Boswell. Other major participants include Samuel Johnson, David Garrick, Edmund Burke, Oliver Goldsmith, Edward Gibbon, Adam Smith, Elizabeth Montagu, and Fanny Burney. The book is an entertaining and interesting look at the history of many of the movers and shakers of Britain in the 18th century.

Most entertaining, as expected, are many of Johnson’s criticisms; he was the man who coined the phrase Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel. Once during a violin recital, Johnson became visibly bored. A friend, to pique Johnson’s interest, told him how difficult the piece was to perform. Johnson replied, Difficult do you call it, Sir? I wish it were impossible. ( )

This chatty, even gossipy, survey of the Johnson/Boswell circle is entertaining enough, but if you've read any books on either figure you won't find all that much new here. The usual published primary sources are tastily dipped into, and the standard secondary sources are well represented in the footnotes. ( )

“The Club” by Leo Damrosch would seem to have an awful lot going for it. It is one of the New York Times top ten books of 2019. Reader reviews on Amazon score it a 4.4. It features two of the supposedly most interesting characters of 18th century UK, Samuel Johnson and James Boswell. And it has a great storyline – a newly established and exclusive Club (at a London pub) open only to the greatest minds of the time. “The Club” is very nicely illustrated with 30 color panels and a number of black and white drawings, etc. spread throughout the text. And impressive blurbs on the front and back covers. And I found it boring, very boring. It was a struggle for me to finish.

I expected a different approach by the author; his decision to develop mini-bios on several of the Club’s eventual 44 members was far different than my preference of imagined conversations by Club members on issues of the day. Obviously, the responsibility is my own for not doing a better job of researching the book ahead of time.

Some of my favorite history authors are Chernow, Meacham, Jean Smith, Goodwin. What they all have in common is that they are great storytellers, and a big part of history is the stories. I didn’t find Damrosch’s book to be very readable. I thought it was dull, and about as interesting as reading a grad student’s thesis. While much of the book focuses on Johnson and Boswell I came away feeling I didn’t really get a good grasp of their relationship. I strongly suggest that anyone considering buying the book give it a road test and read one of the early chapters beforehand. “The Club” is 2 ½ stars in my opinion, and not recommended. ( )

I didn't want this book to end. It was a portrait of Samuel Johnson and all of his Enlightenment contemporaries (warts and all) highlighting their connections to each other. It is narrated but also self told -- mostly about and by Samuel Johnson and James Boswell but also Edmund Burke, Joshua Reynolds, David Garrick, Fanny Burney, and Hester and Henry Thrale among many others. They are intimate portraits of each of them and their family lives and life in London and Scotland during the mid-to-late 18th Century. There are many footnotes and appendices of interest but also terrific pictures, including a collection of color plates that I looked at over and over again while reading. The pictures helped to bring them all alive (and keep them straight). I learned so much and it was such a pleasure! ( )

This is one of the best books I have read in the last ten years. I know that I will reread it. ( )