Memoirs of My Life and Writings is an account of the historian Edward Gibbon's life, compiled after his death by his friend Lord Sheffield from six fragmentary autobiographical works Gibbon wrote during his last years.

Reproduction of the original: Memoirs of My Life and Writings by Edward Gibbon

Edward Gibbon was one of the world's greatest historians and a towering figure of his age. When he died in 1794 he left behind the unfinished drafts of his Memoirs, which were posthumously edited by his friend Lord Sheffield, and remain an astonishing portrait of a rich, full life. Recounting Gibbon's sickly childhood in London, his disappointment with an Oxford 'steeped in port and prejudice', his successful years in Lausanne, his first and only love affair and the monolithic achievement of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, he distils his genius for history into a remarkable gift for autobiography. Candid and detailed, these writings are filled with warmth and intellectual passion.

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Provides an accessible overview of the achievement of Edward Gibbon (1737-94), one of the world's greatest historians.

"Memoirs of My Life and Writings" by Edward Gibbon offers a profound autobiographical glimpse into the life and intellectual journey of one of the Enlightenment era's most renowned scholars. Through the lens of memoirs and autobiography, Gibbon traces his scholarly pursuits and contributions to history, philosophy, and literature. As a key figure of the Enlightenment, Gibbon's narrative reflects the intellectual ferment of the era, exploring the intersections of history, philosophy, and literature within the context of the Roman Empire and Europe. His reflections offer valuable insights into the Enlightenment philosophy that shaped his worldview and scholarly endeavors. Gibbon's memoirs not only provide a window into his personal life but also serve as a biography of his intellectual pursuits and achievements. Through his writings, readers gain a deeper understanding of Enlightenment thinkers and the intellectual landscape of the Enlightenment era. "Memoirs of My Life and Writings" stands as a testament to Gibbon's legacy as a scholar and intellectual, offering readers a captivating journey through the history, literature, and philosophy of the Enlightenment.

Gibbon offers an explanation for why the Roman Empire fell, a task made difficult by a lack of comprehensive written sources, though he was not the only historian to tackle the subject. Most of his ideas are directly taken from what few relevant records were available: those of the Roman moralists of the 4th and 5th centuries.