Synopses & Reviews
This compelling book chronicles a young boyandrsquo;s journey from the horrors of Jamaican slavery to the heart of Londonandrsquo;s literary world, and reveals the unlikely friendship that changed his life. Francis Barber, born in Jamaica, was brought to London by his owner in 1750 and became a servant in the household of the renowned Dr. Samuel Johnson. Although Barber left London for a time and served in the British navy during the Seven Yearsandrsquo; War, he later returned to Johnsonandrsquo;s employ. A fascinating reversal took place in the relationship between the two men as Johnsonandrsquo;s health declined and the older man came to rely more and more upon his now educated and devoted companion. When Johnson diedand#160;he leftand#160;the bulk of his estate to Barber, a generous (and at the time scandalous) legacy, and a testament to the depth of their friendship.
and#160;
There were thousands of black Britons in the eighteenth century, but few accounts of their lives exist. In uncovering Francis Barberandrsquo;s story, this book not only provides insights into his life and Samuel Johnsonandrsquo;s but alsoand#160;opens a window onto London when slaves had yet to win their freedom.
Review
andldquo;At last, the biography that Francis Barber deserves. A meticulous yet imaginative book which teases out the full humanity of Dr. Johnsonandrsquo;s servantandmdash;and of the affection and hostility he generated among contemporaries.andrdquo;andmdash;James Walvin, author of The Zong: A Massacre, the Law and the End of Slavery
Review
andldquo;Michael Bundock has written the first biography in over one hundred years of Francis Barber, Samuel Johnsonandrsquo;s black servant and heir. Acknowledging the groundwork laid over a century ago, Bundock goes well beyond earlier commentators in exploring the evolving relationship between Johnson and Barber.andrdquo;andmdash;Vincent Carretta, University of Maryland
Review
andldquo;Like James Boswell before him, Michael Bundock is a lawyer, and in his biography of Samuel Johnsonandrsquo;s servant that background serves him well. Reading the evidence, some newly discovered, he brings Francis Barber to life, deepens our understanding of Johnson, enriches our sense of quotidian eighteenth-century London, and provides an unusual contribution to black history in England.andrdquo;andmdash;Robert Folkenflik, University of California, Irvine
Review
andldquo;The Fortunes of Francis Barber is the most complete and accurate account of the life of Francis Barber that has ever been produced or is ever likely to be produced. This book far outstrips all earlier accounts.andrdquo;andmdash;Robert DeMaria, Jr., Vassar College
Review
andldquo;This is an indispensable volume, by far the most readable and comprehensive and authoritative account of Francis Barberandrsquo;s life thatandrsquo;s ever been written andndash; or that ever could be written, at least with the source materials we currently have.andrdquo;andmdash;Open Letters Monthly
Review
andldquo;Bundockandrsquo;s lively biography offers a fresh perspective on Johnson and locates Barber both in Johnsonandrsquo;s household and in the context of an empire beginning to debate the political and moral legitimacy of slavery.andrdquo;andmdash;Publishers Weekly
Review
andlsquo;[Bundock] is a lawyer by profession, and one of the great pleasures of reading his completely captivating book is to watch him gathering all the evidence and teasing out the truthandhellip; one of the very few books about Johnson worthy to stand beside that classic.andrsquo;andmdash;John Carey,
the Sunday Times.
Review
andlsquo;Michael Bundockandrsquo;s accomplished biography tells the story of Dr. Samuel Johnsonandrsquo;s black servant and friend, Francis Barber, giving a much needed biography to a man who has hitherto been relegated to footnote statusandhellip; Bundockandrsquo;s scrupulous research finally puts the record straight.andrsquo;andmdash;Paula Bryne, author of Belle: the True Story of Dido Belle, the Times.andnbsp;
Review
andldquo;In The Fortunes of Francis Barber, there are indeed plenty of rivalries, along with burned diary entries, tossed-off insults, and spiky descriptions that would likely get a stamp of approval from Johnsonandrsquo;s satiric contemporaries. Yet what distinguishes Michael Bundockandrsquo;s book is not its hijinks but its illuminating scholarship . . . Pick up The Fortunes of Francis Barber for its promise of lexicographical and 18th-century antics; read it for the engrossing history it reveals.andrdquo;andmdash;Santa Fe New Mexican
Review
andlsquo;Barberandrsquo;s story receives expert, sensitive treatment in Bundockandrsquo;s biography.andrsquo;andmdash;Tony Barber, Financial Times.andnbsp;
Review
andlsquo;The Fortunes of Francis Barber is concise, clear-headed, sympathetic and scholarlyandhellip;andrsquo;andmdash;Charles Nicholl, London Review of Books.andnbsp;
Synopsis
The story of the extraordinary relationship between a former slave and Englandandrsquo;s most distinguished man of letters
Synopsis
The story of the extraordinary relationship between a former slave and England's most distinguished man of letters
This compelling book chronicles a young boy's journey from the horrors of Jamaican slavery to the heart of London's literary world, and reveals the unlikely friendship that changed his life. Francis Barber, born in Jamaica, was brought to London by his owner in 1750 and became a servant in the household of the renowned Dr. Samuel Johnson. Although Barber left London for a time and served in the British navy during the Seven Years' War, he later returned to Johnson's employ. A fascinating reversal took place in the relationship between the two men as Johnson's health declined and the older man came to rely more and more upon his now educated and devoted companion. When Johnson died he left the bulk of his estate to Barber, a generous (and at the time scandalous) legacy, and a testament to the depth of their friendship.
There were thousands of black Britons in the eighteenth century, but few accounts of their lives exist. In uncovering Francis Barber's story, this book not only provides insights into his life and Samuel Johnson's but also opens a window onto London when slaves had yet to win their freedom.
Synopsis
The story of the extraordinary relationship between Francis Barber, a former slave, and Samuel Johnson, England's most distinguished man of letters "Bundock's lively biography offers a fresh perspective on Johnson and locates Barber both in Johnson's household and in the context of an empire beginning to debate the political and moral legitimacy of slavery."--Publishers Weekly
This compelling book chronicles a young boy's journey from the horrors of Jamaican slavery to the heart of London's literary world, and reveals the unlikely friendship that changed his life. Francis Barber, born in Jamaica, was brought to London by his owner in 1750 and became a servant in the household of the renowned Dr. Samuel Johnson. Although Barber left London for a time and served in the British navy during the Seven Years' War, he later returned to Johnson's employ. A fascinating reversal took place in the relationship between the two men as Johnson's health declined and the older man came to rely more and more upon his now educated and devoted companion. When Johnson died he left the bulk of his estate to Barber, a generous (and at the time scandalous) legacy, and a testament to the depth of their friendship.
There were thousands of black Britons in the eighteenth century, but few accounts of their lives exist. In uncovering Francis Barber's story, this book not only provides insights into his life and Samuel Johnson's but also opens a window onto London when slaves had yet to win their freedom.
Synopsis
The story of the extraordinary relationship between a former slave and Englandand#39;s most distinguished man of letters
About the Author
Michael Bundock is a director of Dr. Johnsonandrsquo;s House Trust and former editor of The New Rambler, the annual journal of the Johnson Society of London. He is the author of numerous essays and articles on Samuel Johnson, Francis Barber, and eighteenth-century history and literature.