Walter Jackson Bate delved deeply into the lives and works of significant figures, particularly those from the Romantic era. His biographical works, twice awarded the Pulitzer Prize, are distinguished by their penetrating insights into the psyche and creative process of his subjects. Bate explored the intricate connections between an author's life and their literary output, illuminating how personal experiences shaped their enduring legacies. His analyses offer timeless lessons on the nature of genius and perseverance.
An account of Dr. Johnson's dramatic personal life, monumental genius, and boundless literary activities and impact follows him from poverty and hack work, through trial and tumult, to lionization as the unchallenged literary arbiter of his times.