The American (Penguin Classics)
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.72 (856 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0140390820 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 480 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2014-07-04 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
''A masterpiece of American romanticism in which James shows us his profound grasp of what he was ultimately to call 'the Americo-European legend.' '' --Leon Edel, literary critic, biographer, and foremost authority on the works of Henry James
A terrific early novel by James Not quite up to the masterly level of Portrait of a Lady and his exquisite later novels but a fine and highly accessible early introduction to James.. lisatheratgirl said Fabulous story, French vs. American culture shock. I have this friend who hates Henry James. I can't understand it. The style is dated, in that people dont write that way today, but as you get into the book you begin to enjoy the style, as well as the plot, characters, and French/American dual culture shock that still goes on today. (For an update on the theme, look at Le Divorce and Le Mariage by Diane Johnson). I couldn't wait to see what was going to hap. When Man Meets Woman, and Money and Social Status Clash . What does a confident, energetic, single, self-made American millionaire do after amassing a fortune while still in his thirties? In the case of Christopher Newman, the good-natured, optimistic protagonist in Henry James' The American (published 1877), our hero (as James labels him) takes his money and makes on an extended visit to Europe, in search of culture, amusement and excitement to complement his exc
Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.. Christopher Newman, a 'self-made' American millionaire in France, falls in love with the beautiful aristocratic Claire de Bellegarde. Her family, however, taken aback by his brash American manner, rejects his proposal of marriage. When Newman discovers a guilty secret in the Bellegardes' past, he confronts a moral dilemma: Should he expose them and thus gain his revenge? James's masterly early work is at once a social comedy, a melodramatic romance and a realistic novel of manners.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines