Henry James

Henry James was an American-born author who spent much of his life in Europe, particularly in England and France. Born on April 15, 1843, in New York City, he was part of a prominent intellectual family that encouraged his literary pursuits from a young age. James is best known for his keen psychological insight and intricate character development, which often explored themes of consciousness and moral ambiguity. His works often delve into the contrasts between American and European cultures, reflecting his own experiences and observations as a transatlantic writer.

Throughout his prolific career, James produced a remarkable body of work, including novels, short stories, and plays. Some of his most celebrated titles, like "The Portrait of a Lady" and "The Turn of the Screw," showcase his ability to blend suspense with deep emotional resonance. If you're curious to experience the rich tapestry of human relationships and societal dynamics that James masterfully crafts, take a moment to explore his works in the app. You might just find a new favorite classic waiting for you!

The Portrait of a Lady (version 2)

Read by Elizabeth Klett 4.5
The Portrait of a Lady is a novel by Henry James, first published as a serial in The Atlantic Monthly and Macmillan's Magazine in 1880–81 an…

The Turn of the Screw (version 2)

Read by Elizabeth Klett 4.2
Henry James' classic ghost story comprises the written testimony of a young governess, charged with looking after two small children at an i…

The American

Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) 4.5
One of James’s early novels, The American plunges right in to one of the writer’s most enduring subjects, that of the innocent, or at least …

Lady Barbarina

Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) 4.4
Rich and beautiful American girls heading to England to find themselves noble titles through marriage, and using their New World wealth to p…

The Portrait of a Lady (version 3)

Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) 4.7
Our central character is Isabel Archer of Albany, New York, a young woman of no great means, and no great beauty (that is, by her own estima…

The Ambassadors

Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) 4
Henry James considered The Ambassadors his best, or perhaps his best-wrought, novel. It plays on the great Jamesian theme of the American ab…

What Maisie Knew

Read by Elizabeth Klett 4.1
What Maisie Knew is a poignant exploration of childhood innocence amidst the turmoil of adult relationships. When young Maisie Farange is ca…

Washington Square

Read by Dawn 4.2
Washington Square is a short novel by Henry James. Originally published in 1880 as a serial in Cornhill Magazine and Harper's New Monthly Ma…

The Aspern Papers

Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) 4.5
One of James’s favorite short novels, the Aspern Papers tells of the efforts of the nameless narrator to procure the papers of a famous, bu…

Sir Dominick Ferrand

Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) 4.6
"Levity" is not a word often applied to Henry James, but this story has about it an attractively lighthearted quality. It tells of…

The Real Thing

Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) 4.4
The Real Thing is, on one level, a somewhat ironic tale of an artist and two rather particular models. Yet it also raises questions about th…

The Princess Casamassima

Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) 4.4
Princess Casamassima can be read on several levels: first, as a political and social novel, exploring the anarchistic and revolutionary unde…

The Art of Fiction

Read by Julie VW 4.6
A lecture on the art of fiction, given by the English critic Walter Besant on April 25, 1884, and an answer to the lecture by American write…

The Turn of the Screw (Version 3)

Read by Sandra Cullum 4.4
A gothic, ghost story, you are a jury of one. Is the Governess correct in her assumptions that her charges, two adorable and exemplary child…

The Wheel of Time

Read by David Wales 4.5
Fanny Knocker is a very, very plain young woman. She is introduced to the extremely handsome, thoroughly impoverished, younger son of an old…

A Little Tour in France

Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) 4.8
A splendid example of travel writing at its best, in this description of six week tour in France -- from Touraine, down to Provence, then ba…

The Pupil

Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) 4.5
Pemberton, a young American with an Oxford education and out of money, takes a job tutoring Morgan Moreen, the 12-year old son of an America…

The Liar

Read by Deborah Percy 4.6
The Liar by Henry James explores the intricate dynamics of love, deception, and the complexities of human relationships. Set against the bac…

Roderick Hudson

Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) 4.6
Published as a serial in 1875, Roderick Hudson is James's first important novel. The theme of Americans in Europe, so important in much of J…

The Spoils of Poynton

Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) 4.4
The recently widowed Adela Gereth, a lover of beauty and passionate collector of fine objects, strikes up a friendship with the young Fleda …

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