Sam was a grumpy, difficult but fascinating man. He wasn't handsome. He wasn't good at sport. He was poor, lazy and not even very happy. But Sam Johnson was a hero.Why? Because of his words.Yes, he wrote many books and magazine articles. He spent nine long years writing the first important dictionary of the English language. But it isn't for his writing that Sam is remembered.What keeps Sam's memory alive are the clever things he said. Words which are still funny and true centuries later.

 

This book is part of a book series called Who Was .

There are 160 pages in this book. This book was published 2004 by Short Books Ltd .

Andrew Billen is a feature writer on, and currently television critic of, The Times. He has worked on The Observer, the Standard and the New Statesman. His previous books include Sam Johnson, The Wonderful Word Doctor also for Short Books. He lives in Oxford, with his wife and young daughter.