Samuel Johnson, an eminent English author, lived a life that on the surface seemed unassuming, yet his life was filled with numerous complications, extreme suffering, and enormous psychological problems. Furthermore, despite all the struggles and sufferings of his life, he had a “passionate concern for humanity and even said, 'I have often thought that there is rarely a life passed of which a judicious and faithful narrative would not be helpful'” ( Green ). Samuel Johnson was born on September 7, 1709 in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England, in the house above his fifty-two-year-old father's struggling bookshop. His father had achieved prosperity but resented the ventures he was involved in, forcing the family into financial difficulty. As a result, Samuel Johnson would suffer from financial hardship for the first fifty years of his life. Sarah Ford, his mother, was forty years old when he was born. She came from a respectable family but married a poor man of intellectual tastes (Green). His parents did not share a happy marriage and rarely spoke. After his father's death he developed an appreciation for his mother's character and determination; he would run the bookstore for nearly thirty years. On the other hand, she was firm, narrow-minded, and self-centered, which made her unable to meet her children's emotional needs (Green). There is speculation that Johnson's younger brother may have committed suicide at the age of twenty-five and that Johnson's life would have been plagued by psychological problems directly linked to his mother (Green). Although Samuel Johnson's childhood was filled with disease and poverty, he grew up to be a great, powerful man. He lost sight in one eye and... middle of paper... but what is the cause of his tics? psychosomatic (Green) or Tourette syndrome (Wikipedia). Wikipedia did not indicate the cause of death, stabbing herself with scissors (Green) or her burial at Shakespeare's feet (Green). Wikipedia does not discuss his parents' relationship dissatisfaction (Green). Even Wikipedia does not talk about the relationship between his psychological problems and his mother (Green). Even though the articles share differences, there is much more information related to each other. Therefore, Wikipedia appears to contain a reliable source of information that can be substantiated about the life of Samuel Johnson.Works Cited Green, Donald. "Chapter 1: Man and His Life." 1989. June 10, 2015“Samuel Adams.” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. May 15, 2011. June 3 2015.