London’s Golden Age: The Mad Life of Dr Johnson (TRIH eps 650-653)

1775 · Resource

In this episode Tom Holland explores the complex relationship between Samuel Johnson and the Thrale family, focusing on the letters Johnson wrote to Hester Thrale in 1773 and the ensuing years of companionship, mental‑health struggles, and social gatherings at Streatham Park. The discussion moves through Johnson’s bouts of melancholy, his obsessive compulsions, and his reliance on the Thrales for comfort and intellectual exchange, while also charting the jealousy of James Boswell, who feels d...

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