Travels with Johnson

Eric, sitting across the aisle from Saul, is curious about the fact that Saul is highlighting every page.

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Eric: What is that you're reading?

Saul: Johnson. He's been with me for the past two flights I've been on.

Eric: Good?

Saul. He wrote a dictionary. It's the story of that. So engrossing that I read it slowly.

Eric: I see you highlight certain sentences.

Saul: I do that to slow me down.

Eric. Cheaper to carry a book for several flights?

Saul: And lighter to carry.
...

More writers than readers

On arriving in London Samuel faces the hard realities of being a writer.

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Samuel: This street I lodge in. It's full of writers.

James: What did you expect? This is Grub Street.

Samuel: I go to the coffee shop and everybody is writing. Nobody is reading.

James: It’s a hard road you’ve got to hoe.

Samuel: But mark you, there’s a lot of words they read that they don’t understand.

James: There’s an opening. Write them a dictionary Sam.

...