Jeffrey Meyers tells the extraordinary story of Samuel Johnson one of the most illustrious figures of English literary tradition. Johnson was famous as a poet, novelist, biographer, essayist, critic, editor, lexicographer, conversationalist and larger than life personality. After nine years of work Johnson's, 'A dictionary of the English Language, was published in 1755. He overcame great adversity to achieve success. 'The Struggle' is a masterful portrait of a brilliant and tormented figure.

V.1. pt. 1. Medieval literature : Chaucer and the alliterative tradition. pt. 2. Medieval literature : the European inheritance -- v.2. The age of Shakespeare - - v.3. From Donne to Marvell -- v.4. From Dryden to Johnson -- v.5. From Blake to Byron -- v.6. From Dickens to Hardy -- v.7. From James to Elliot -- v.8. The present -- v.9. American literature.