James Boswell

James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck (/ˈbɒzwɛl, -wəl/; 29 October 1740 (N.S.) – 19 May 1795), was a Scottish biographer, diarist, and lawyer, born in Edinburgh. He is best known for his biography of his friend and older contemporary, the English writer Samuel Johnson, which is commonly said to be the greatest biography written in the English language. A great mass of Boswell's diaries, letters, and private papers were recovered from the 1920s to the 1950s, and their ongoing publication by Yale University has transformed his reputation.

This article is about the 18th-century writer. For other persons of the same name, see James Boswell (disambiguation).

James Boswell of Auchinleck
Portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds, 1785
Born(1740-10-29)29 October 1740 (N.S.)
Edinburgh, Scotland, Kingdom of Great Britain
Died19 May 1795(1795-05-19) (aged 54)
London, England
OccupationLawyer, diarist, biographer
Alma mater
  • University of Edinburgh
  • University of Glasgow
  • Utrecht University
Notable worksLife of Johnson
Spouse
Margaret Montgomerie
​
​
(m. 1769; died 1789)​
Children
  • Sir Alexander Boswell, 1st Baronet
  • James Boswell
  • Veronica Boswell
  • Euphemia Boswell
  • Elizabeth Boswell
  • Charles Boswell (extramarital)
  • Sally (extramarital)
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