May 16 - National Biographers Day

Happy National Biographers Day! This day commemorates the anniversary of the first meeting of English poet Samuel Johnson (often referred to as Dr Johnson) and his friend and younger contemporary.

This was to Scottish biographer, diarist and lawyer James Boswell.  

This occurred in London, England, United Kingdom on May 16, 1763, and honors all biographers. 

A biography is a written account of another person’s life. 

A famous poet, essayist, literary critic, editor, and lexicographer, Johnson was also a biographer.  

According to Johnson, the best biographers were those who ate, drank, and “lived in social intercourse” with those about whom they wrote.  

If that were true, his best work would be the biographical book An Account of the Life of Mr. Richard Savage, Son of the Earl Rivers, published in 1744. 

Applying this same rule, Boswell met his friend Johnson at a bookshop near Covent Garden. 

Nearly three decades later, he published the biographical book The Life of Samuel Johnson, published in 1791. The work later became the most celebrated English biography. 

HOW TO OBSERVE 

Read the biography of someone who influenced your life. Was it a poet, engineer, business person, author, or politician? Have you read an interesting biography?  

Share the title and the name of the biographer by using #NationalBiographersDay to post on social media. 

HISTORY 

National Day Calendar® continues to research the origins of this story-telling holiday. 

#NationalBiographersDay 

@Biography 

@nichecinema