Product Description

Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia, leaves the easy life of the Happy Valley, accompanied by his sister Nekayah, her attendant Pekuah, and the much-travelled philosopher Imlac. There journey takes them to Egypt, where they study the various conditions of men's lives, before returning home in a `conclusion in which nothing is concluded'. Johnson's tale is not only a satire on optimism, but also an expression of truth about the human mind and its infinite capacity for hope.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #291617 in Books
• Published on: 1999-01-21
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

Review
"A relatively inexpensive, attractively designed edition with useful introduction and notes. For classroom use I prefer the Oxford World's Classics edition to any of the others available."--John Kandl, Walsh University
"Very good edition of an excellent work. My student response has been overwhelmingly positive. A valuable work for the 18-22 year old set."--Winfield J.C. Myers, University of Georgia
"Provides a wonderful intro. to Johnson's thought, and few works have more to say to our age and to our students. The response was overwhelmingly positive."--Winfield J.C. Myers, University of Georgia

About the Author
J. P. Hardy is Professor of Humanities at Bond University, Queensland. He has edited many editions of Johnson's works, including Johnson's Lives of the Poets: A Selection (OPET, 1971)

Customer Reviews

A perfect introduction to Johnson and a delightful novel
I read this book primarily for one reason: it is by Samuel Johnson, and I wanted to look at some of his work. This 100 page novel seemed the ideal way to start. 'Rasselas' is a very moral work: every action, every turn the story takes serves to illustrate a point Johnson wishes to discuss, so the actual plot is secondary to the moral purpose. Yet the style with which Johnson writes prevents the book from being a dull philosophical tract. There are some very funny moments, such as the encounter with the astronomer, and thought provoking episodes, such as the story of the hermit who is delighted to abandon his principles and return to the city. In short,'The History of Rasselas' is a combination of exotic fable and timeless philosophizing, delivered in a way that remains as meaningful now as when it was written in 1759, with its central theme of a character in pursuit of happiness, and attempting to discover what happiness really is.

Heard about this book on Radio Four...
...so I thought I'd save a few quid by buying a second-hand copy on t'internet.
It arrived promptly and in good condition, so I am happy with it.