Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia

Part of The Art of the Novella

The other great book by the man who wrote the dictionary: This is Dr. Johnson’s beautiful, engaging, and ultimately inspiring story of a royal brother and sister who escape the castle and, travelling in disguise, search for a way to feel more useful to society.

It leads to a years-long adventure amongst poor people and rich men, great intellectuals and merchants, holy men and ruthless warriors. It is an eye-opening experience that shakes the siblings to their core and ultimately turns into the most sublimely wise and moving works that Johnson ever wrote, not to mention a masterpiece of English Literature.

SAMUEL JOHNSON made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, novelist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer. He has been described as “arguably the most distinguished man of letters in English history”.

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