The Portrait of a Lady (version 3)
Henry James
Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019)
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 estimation; others disagree) yet of rich imagination, high ideals and a thirst for knowledge of the world. Carried off by her aunt to England, she quite unexpectedly finds herself the beneficiary of a substantial legacy from her uncle, a very successful American banker in London. It will, her admiring cousin says to his father, allow her “to put a little wind in her sails” and to see the world.
Though some American reviewers rather dismissed the book when it appeared in the mid-1880s, for other readers today The Portrait of a Lady has become THE Great American Novel, or at least very close to the top. That is for a number of reasons, including among others the delineations of character and the psychological depths of the work. A few years ago, in a biographical study of James, Michael Gorra drew on it as a central work (not surprisingly his book is called Portrait of a Novel: Henry James and the Making of an American Masterpiece). James himself tinkered with it over the years, and the text here comes from the so-called New York edition of 1907-09.
Much of the action takes place in Italy, particularly n the expatriate communities of Florence and Rome. Without giving anything away, it’s worth noting that James’s ending for the novel has caused some puzzlement, not to say controversy, among readers. (Nicholas Clifford) (25 hr 5 min)
Chapters
| Preface | 43:30 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chp. 1 | 24:32 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chps. 2&3 | 34:25 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chps. 4&5 | 48:53 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chps. 6&7 | 48:00 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chps. 8&9 | 31:35 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chp. 10 | 28:33 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chps. 11&12 | 43:00 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chp. 13 | 36:13 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chp. 14 | 23:37 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chp. 15 | 35:56 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chps. 16&17; | 44:36 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chp. 18 | 38:03 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chp. 19 | 52:26 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chp. 20 | 34:06 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chps. 21-22 | 58:24 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chps. 23-24 | 56:32 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chps. 25-26 | 48:28 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chp. 27 | 27:29 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chps. 28-29 | 37:22 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chps. 30-31 | 33:11 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chps. 32-33 | 34:11 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chps. 34-35 | 44:07 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chps. 36-37 | 48:33 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chp. 38 | 27:18 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chp. 39 | 31:28 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chp. 40 | 34:23 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chps. 41-42 | 57:52 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chp. 43 | 28:05 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chp. 44 | 36:10 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chps; 45-46 | 54:14 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chp. 47 | 34:52 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chp. 48 | 39:20 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chp. 49 | 32:08 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chps. 50-51 | 1:00:48 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chp. 52 | 27:58 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chps. 53-54 | 47:42 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
| chp. 55 | 37:09 | Read by Nicholas Clifford (1930-2019) |
Reviews
A Masterpiece
Scott in Sandy Eggo
This novel requires an intellectual understanding of the characters to make a thorough comprehension of the ending. If the reader (or listener in this case) can truly believe in the heroine of our story, then the true nature of her personal strength, growth, and judgment will indeed make this story one of great beauty and satisfaction. But, as I said, that is entirely up the reader to consider and ponder for long after the amazing conclusion. James greatest works are not for the casual reader, but for those who seek to understand the deeper forces of both good and especially evil in the human psyche. I am writing this review long after my encounters with this great work because I still think about how it has helped me understand people from long ago, those of whom I now remember as an old man. Ps. Maybe Isabel is the final betrayer?! Perhaps she returns to the rescue? Perhaps she became the stronger? Think about that…
BETTER NAMED AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY
AVID READER
It is seen as sacrilege to complain about a book by James. Nevertheless, I would submit that it's unended ending was not worth plodding through a world where everyone spent most of their time examining motives of all actions, theirs and others. The story itself was very good, but it certainly could have been told in much fewer words. If anyone other than Nicolas Clifford had narrated it. I probably would not have persevered to the end. Lest you think that I take leave of my senses by criticizing James, let me add that Picasso was a fraud; he knew that his so-called paintings were nothing. and he merely laughed all the way to the bank!
jbrown
5 Stars because it’s Henry James read by Nicholas Clifford. That said it’s an engrossing story with in-depth character development. I’m surprised that I’m the first reviewer since this is one of James best!
Tom from Alberta
Thank you so much for your reading of this delightful book, Nicholas Clifford. You made it come alive.
Susan
I keep taping the fifth star but it deserves much more...
impressive
A LibriVox Listener
wonderful reading of a complex yet very human book
A LibriVox Listener
Wonderful book, with an excellent narrator