Boswell's enlightenment

Resource Information

The work Boswell's enlightenment represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in San Francisco Public Library. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Language Material, Books.

Label

Boswell's enlightenment

Statement of responsibility

Robert Zaretsky

Creator

• Zaretsky, Robert, 1955-

Author

• Zaretsky, Robert, 1955-

Subject

• Enlightenment -- Scotland
• Europe -- Description and travel
• Philosophy and religion -- Scotland -- History -- 18th century
• Authors, Scottish -- 18th century -- Biography
• Travelers -- Europe -- 18th century
• Scots -- Europe -- History -- 18th century
• Boswell, James, 1740-1795 -- Travel -- Europe

Genre

• Biography

Language

eng

Summary

"In 1763, the young James Boswell left Great Britain for a 'Grand Tour' of the Continent. The tour was a tradition among British and Scottish youths; by visiting the great historical sites, especially those of Roman and Greek antiquity, they would complete the studies they had begun at universities back home. Boswell's tour, however, was different: he was less concerned with the ruins of the past than the thinkers of the present. In particular, he was eager to question the leading figures of the Enlightenment on matters of faith and God--of particular importance to Boswell, who had been raised in the dour and dire atmosphere of the Church of Scotland. In his remarkable conversations with figures like Voltaire, Rousseau, and Hume, we see a man struggling with the claims of reason and needs of faith--a struggle that remains very much our own 250 years later"--Provided by publisher

Biography type

individual biography

Cataloging source

DLC

Dewey number

• 828/.609
• B

Index

index present

LC call number

B1302.E65

LC item number

Z37 2015

Literary form

non fiction

Nature of contents

bibliography