Daisy Miller and Washington Square

By Henry James

Book Overview

&&LDIV&&R&&LDIV&&R&&LI&&RDaisy Miller and Washington Square&&L/I&&R, by &&LB&&RHenry James&&L/B&&R, is part of the &&LI&&RBarnes & Noble Classics&&L/I&&R&&LI&&R &&L/I&&Rseries, which offers quality editions at affordable prices to the student and the general reader, including new scholarship, thoughtful design, and pages of carefully crafted extras. Here are some of the remarkable features of &&LI&&RBarnes & Noble Classics&&L/I&&R: &&LDIV&&RNew introductions commissioned from today's top writers and scholars Biographies of the authors Chronologies of contemporary historical, biographical, and cultural events Footnotes and endnotes Selective discussions of imitations, parodies, poems, books, plays, paintings, operas, statuary, and films inspired by the work Comments by other famous authors Study questions to challenge the reader's viewpoints and expectations Bibliographies for further reading Indices & Glossaries, when appropriateAll editions are beautifully designed and are printed to superior specifications; some include illustrations of historical interest. &&LI&&RBarnes & Noble Classics &&L/I&&Rpulls together a constellation of influences--biographical, historical, and literary--to enrich each reader's understanding of these enduring works.&&L/DIV&&R&&L/DIV&&R&&LP style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"&&R &&L/P&&R&&LP style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"&&RStrikingly modern in its psychological insight, social observation and stylistic innovation, &&LB&&RHenry James&&L/B&&R's fiction continues to attract and intrigue readers a century after its initial appearance. This volume offers two of his most popular and critically admired novellas: &&LI&&RDaisy Miller&&L/I&&R and &&LI&&RWashington Square&&L/I&&R.&&LBR&&R&&LBR&&RIn &&LI&&RDaisy Miller&&L/I&&R, James paints a vivid portrait of a vibrant young American girl visiting Europe for the first time. Lovely, flirtatious, eager for experience, Daisy meets a wealthy American, Mr. Winterbourne, and a penniless but passionate Italian. Her complex encounters with them and others allow James to explore one of his favorite themes, the effect of Americans and Europeans on each other.&&LBR&&R&&LBR&&R&&LI&&RWashington Square&&L/I&&R's Catherine Sloper is Daisy Miller's opposite. Neither pretty nor charming, she lives with her wealthy, widowed, tyrannical father, Dr. Austin Sloper, who can barely conceal his disdain for his shy, awkward daughter. When a handsome suitor, Morris Townsend, comes calling, Catherine's father refuses to believe he is anything other than a heartless fortune hunter and sets out to destroy her romance.&&LBR&&R&&L/P&&R&&LP style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"&&R&&LSTRONG&&RJennie A. Kassanoff&&L/B&&R is Assistant Professor of English at Barnard College. Her articles have appeared in &&LI&&RArizona Quarterly&&L/I&&R and &&LI&&RPMLA&&L/I&&R. Her book, &&LI&&REdith Wharton and the Politics of Race&&L/I&&R, is forthcoming from Cambridge University Press.&&L/P&&R&&L/DIV&&R

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1593081057
• ISBN13: 9781593081058
• Release Date: August 2004
• Publisher: Barnes & Noble Classics
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 4.9" x 7.3"

Customer Reviews

Very good introduction to James

Henry James, of course, requires no introduction unless we are discussing a way to introduce him as a new-to-you author. Readers who are unfamiliar with his other work will find these two novellas both accessible and modern in their thinking. The characters are such that they fairly transcend time and it my belief that young adult readers would even find them approachable as contemporaries. The introduction by Jennie A. Kassanoff offers a brief yet vivid portrait of James and the times surrounding the original publication. Even if one is familiar with James but has not yet had the opportunity to access these two novellas, this edition should prove to be a useful way to acquaint oneself.