Acclaimed British historian examines the layers of craft and insight in Tobias Smollett, and discusses the particular nature of his genius and influence on British culture. Once again, Black acquaints the reader with the full range of a prolific writer's works and offers a backstage tour of the meaning and context of Britain's most beloved stories and story-tellers. 

Jeremy Black is emeritus professor of history (University of Exeter) and prolific writer in the areas of eighteenth-century British, European and American political, diplomatic and military history. He has recently turned his attention to the biography and historical commentary of prominent British literary figures. His recent titles include The Importance of Being Poirot (2021) and the forthcoming The Game Is Afoot: The Enduring World of Sherlock Holmes. He is also a senior fellow at the Center for the Study of America and the West at the Foreign Policy Research Institute (Philadelphia).