{"product_id":"the-history-of-rasselas-prince-samuel-johnson-9791043137532","title":"The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia","description":"\u003cp\u003eRasselas is a fable-like story, more apologue than novel, written by \u003cstrong\u003eJohnson\u003c\/strong\u003e in \u003cstrong\u003e1759\u003c\/strong\u003e to help pay for the costs of his recently-deceased mother's funeral. While the plot is basic and the characters are thin, the work is an important philosophical piece exploring whether or not humanity can attain happiness.Rasselas, an Abyssinian prince, travels with his sister Nekayah, her handmaiden Pekuah, and the wise poet Imlac-a proxy for \u003cstrong\u003eJohnson\u003c\/strong\u003e himself. Their exploration of happiness and the meaning of leading a happy life is a complex and subtle one, though the work ends with \"nothing concluded.\" \u003cstrong\u003eJohnson\u003c\/strong\u003e leaves the reader to ponder: Can an individual ever attain happiness in any meaningful sense? \u003cstrong\u003eRasselas\u003c\/strong\u003e, philosophical romance by Samuel Johnson published in 1759 as The Prince of Abissinia. Supposedly written in the space of a week, with the impending expenses of Johnson's mother's funeral in mind, Rasselas explores and exposes the vanity of the human search for happiness.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe work is addressed to those who \"listen with credulity to the whispers of fancy and pursue with eagerness the phantoms of hope.\" Hoping to learn how he should live, Rasselas meets with men of varied occupations and interests-scholars, astronomers, shepherds, hermits, and poets-and explores their manner of life. He finds that complete happiness is elusive and that \"while you are making the choice of life, you neglect to live\"-which is, perhaps, the most important moral to be drawn from the tale.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Samuel Johnson\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9791043137532\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Les Prairies Numeriques\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 03\/01\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 164\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.50lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.38d","brand":"Samuel Johnson","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48874598400255,"sku":"9791043137532","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/the-history-of-rasselas-prince-samuel-johnson-9791043137532","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}