A good friend of mine recommended James to me last summer, described him as 'the master of the English language.' I have been reading James obsessively since then, only scratching the surface thus far. I am enthused with him, I love his usage of language, his themes, his characters, all of it. Glad to see others are discovering James as well! Great video :)
@@Fortheloveofclassics As for novels, I've read 'Washington Square,' 'Portrait of a Lady,' and 'Golden Bowl' (which was one of his last novels-- very difficult since it's also his most experimental). Currently I'm reading 'The Outcry,' a shorter novel from his later period. For short stories, I've read 'The Pupil,' 'In the Cage,' 'The Beast In the Jungle,' 'Four Meetings,' 'Greville Fane,' 'The Real Thing,' 'Author of Beltraffio,' 'Altar of the Dead,' and a couple others I can't remember. I personally like his short stories more, since his style can be exhausting in larger doses (especially in the later period). Despite this, his early novels I pretty much breezed through-- Washington Square and Portrait of a Lady hardly took me anytime at all, while the Golden Bowl took me nearly a month. When it comes to prose, 'The Real Thing' was incredible, while my favourite characters were in 'Washington Square' and the best themes were in 'Golden Bowl.' A lot of James' short stories aren't currently in print, during his life he wrote dozens, if not hundreds, of them. My wish is to one day read them all, even if that'll take a lot of time and a lot of searching for some of them -- eventually all of his novels too!
I haven’t rated any short stories by Henry James but now I think I want to read some of them because his novels are very long and time-consuming to read for me. I haven’t read Washington Square and the golden bow but I am really looking forward to them soon.
I love Henry James!! I recently read Washington Square, which I think is considered a minor work, but I loved it. He's like Edith Wharton, wiring about class and snobbery and America...
Big Henry James fan. I like the Bostonians very much. Also Washington Square, which James himself deprecated. I also like Portrait of a Lady which you dislike. James has a very large body of work; you can spend years reading his novels and shorter works.
I like the conflict in the Bostonians; the woman's suffrage movement was hot at the time and it transfers well to the current liberal vs conservative conflicts we see in society today. I think that the general public likes Washington Square the best. It is the earliest of the three I mention. A film, The Heiress, has been made of this novel. I'm not entirely sure why James himself was not satisfied with this novel.
I am currently reading The Turn of the Screw, my first Henry James, and found the prose quite dense and cumbersome, had to read sentences thrice before really understanding what’s already going on. But there is something about the work (well at least the one i am reading) that is keeping me intrigued and i hope that goes for all of his other work because i want to read more of him truly. Great video as usual! 💛💛💛
@@Fortheloveofclassics ooop too bad. i am going to give him a chance but if i still find another of his books hard to understand, then i probably should devote my reading time to another writer's work. Thanks for replying!
Very interesting video. I think it’s most interesting that he could write from both a British and American perspective. I haven’t read any of his work but have Daisy Miller on my shelf.
This was a nice introduction to Henry James who flourished at the turn of the 20th century, but who is not so well known nowadays. I myself have read The Ambassador, Washington Square and A Little Tour in France (non -fiction). His style of writing is a little florid for present day tastes, but I like it. I am a little surprised that you find the time as a presumably busy doctor to cultivate literature. This is very commendable! BTW, something in your manner reminds me of my daughter, who like you is a doctor (GP, in the UK). Do make more videos and best of luck to you.
I've just begun reading James's The Ambassadors. I find James a rather difficult author, but am beginning to gain an understanding of his ideas and the way he portrays them in his novels. How are you coming along with this book? Have you gotten to it yet?
I haven’t started reading The Ambassadors yet. I think his earlier works are a bit easier to read with shorter sentences. I read The Europeans first: which was a comparatively shorter book and so way easier to read. How are you finding James?
I find James difficult; one has to read slowly and carefully to understand what he's writing about. After finishing the Ambassadors, I read a book called The Method of Henry James by Joseph Warren Beach, which really helped me to understand how to read James's novels. I found that it also helps to know, before reading The Ambassadors, the frequency with which American heiresses would go to Europe to marry men from the aristocratic class, but who had lost all their money.
Yes, I think it is. It's important, at least for me, to understand a little bit of the context within which James was writing. And I also think it's helpful to understand how these trends were developing in the other arts as well. Last night, I was listening to some piano music of Gabriel Fauré, and it occurred to me that the melodies Fauré fashioned were in certain respects as truncated and as motivic as James's conversation--at least in James's later novels, like The Ambassadors. Compare Fauré to a composer like Mozart or Beethoven. Their melodies were more rounded and their musical phases seemed to embody a more complete thought. If you turn to paintings, consider the works of Vassily Kandinsky, whose paintings in his Blue Rider period were done only a few years after James wrote The Ambassadors. Here again, you find pictures which are more abstract than the more representational art of earlier years. Many of the objects in his paintings were symbolic, rather like James's snatches of conversation. We need to understand what the different parts of Kandinsky's paintings represented, just as we need to understand what meaning lay behind some of the cryptic utterances of James's characters. It's not immediately evident what Kandinsky was trying to represent, just as it's not immediately evident what some of the characters in James's novels meant. A little bit of thought must be applied to understand their meaning. And the impressionists especially--painters like Monet, Degas, and Renoir--would have been painting in the early years of James's writing. He may also have been influenced by the style of the impressionists, who were, in certain aspects, more concerned with depicting certain ideas of life rather than painting immense canvases which told a complete story, like David or Ingres. At any rate, I hope you really enjoy The Ambassadors when you begin to read it. I found it really fascinating.
Wow! Thank you for sharing that. I ant believe I never thought like that but that’s so true. His novels do seem to have hidden, cryptic details which you can’t fathom at a first glance. I had no clue about the musicians and painters of the time but now I have some names to google. Thanks! Keep your comments coming♥️
I've read The Turn of the Screw (which I enjoyed, very Gothic) and just finished The Portrait of a Lady. I agree with you about The Portrait of a Lady. I found it very mediocre. Very informative video. Thanks!
What are the strengths of HJ's books that you've read that can move one's curiosity about them, that make one wanna read them? A book review should appoint both strengths and weaknesses of the book. It should rise people's curiosity about the book. In this review, I only heard the simple vs. complex sentences that you like and dislike. In the last part, I got interested in how you brushed a bit about the psychological touch of HJ. But unfortunately, you didn't discuss it deeper. I'd love to hear the in-depth discussion about it. It sounds very interesting.
Hi! Your comment just made me more thoughtful about what is it about a book I like. I just wanna keep reading light and enjoyable and keep my reviews more fun and less academic. I can see that could be useless to someone who is studying English literature but for a normal person it might be helpful: I hope it is. But thank you for your suggestions: I’ll try and incorporate it in the future videos. Cheers!
Currently reading The Turn of the Screw and other short stories by James, the language can definitely be cumbersome but I find that the longer I sit with the book the easier it is to really BE in the story and not pay attention to the length and depth of his sentences so much
Interesting video, I didn't know he was such a prolific writer. I've heard of his more famous works, however have not yet read any. I might give The American a go this year.
@@Fortheloveofclassics Loh Koon Hoong’s advice is puzzling. During my working life (I am now retired) the senior management at my work place encouraged staff to look out for signs of alcoholism in colleagues. One of these signs was stated to be the wearing of sunglasses at inappropriate times. BTW, have you tried reading George Orwell?
There are around 112 "stories", a few of which are often included in lists of "novels" (Daisy Miller, Turn of The Screw, Aspern Papers, etc. - all much closer to a "novella" than a novel), and then ~22 full-fledged novels. Over a 50 year period. No matter how it sliced, though, it's a mighty portfolio! BTW: those stories are collected in two volumes totaling about 2500 pages from Everyman's Library, and it's IMMENSELY satisfying and worthwhile to have those on your shelf! 😍💪😍
You're doing an amazing 👏 work . Inspiring many like me to read classics. I have suggestion ; actually request , plz make videos about authors you have read or their biographies and explain there mode of writing ✍ through different works. This thing is trending but this job done by bibliophile people like will be a great help . Regards Allah bless you and your family Amen.
Thank you so much ☺️ I haven’t read any autobiographies but I will definitely make videos about specific authors and their works . Thank you for the the suggestion.
What on earth was the point of this video? The information supplied is all available on Wikipedia and the lady’s preferences - unsupported as they are by any arguments - are without interest.
It is not necessary mentioning that his writings and sentences got complicated in his latest novels and this is why you don't like them. No need. This is Henry Jame,nomore no less!!!!
A good friend of mine recommended James to me last summer, described him as 'the master of the English language.' I have been reading James obsessively since then, only scratching the surface thus far. I am enthused with him, I love his usage of language, his themes, his characters, all of it. Glad to see others are discovering James as well! Great video :)
Thank you so much.
I’m on to his other works as well. Let’s stay in touch regarding our progress with James.
What books by him have you read so far?
@@Fortheloveofclassics As for novels, I've read 'Washington Square,' 'Portrait of a Lady,' and 'Golden Bowl' (which was one of his last novels-- very difficult since it's also his most experimental). Currently I'm reading 'The Outcry,' a shorter novel from his later period. For short stories, I've read 'The Pupil,' 'In the Cage,' 'The Beast In the Jungle,' 'Four Meetings,' 'Greville Fane,' 'The Real Thing,' 'Author of Beltraffio,' 'Altar of the Dead,' and a couple others I can't remember. I personally like his short stories more, since his style can be exhausting in larger doses (especially in the later period). Despite this, his early novels I pretty much breezed through-- Washington Square and Portrait of a Lady hardly took me anytime at all, while the Golden Bowl took me nearly a month. When it comes to prose, 'The Real Thing' was incredible, while my favourite characters were in 'Washington Square' and the best themes were in 'Golden Bowl.'
A lot of James' short stories aren't currently in print, during his life he wrote dozens, if not hundreds, of them. My wish is to one day read them all, even if that'll take a lot of time and a lot of searching for some of them -- eventually all of his novels too!
I haven’t rated any short stories by Henry James but now I think I want to read some of them because his novels are very long and time-consuming to read for me.
I haven’t read Washington Square and the golden bow but I am really looking forward to them soon.
I love Henry James!! I recently read Washington Square, which I think is considered a minor work, but I loved it. He's like Edith Wharton, wiring about class and snobbery and America...
Laura Frey Good to know Washington Square is a good read. I will definitely check it out.
Big Henry James fan. I like the Bostonians very much. Also Washington Square, which James himself deprecated. I also like Portrait of a Lady which you dislike. James has a very large body of work; you can spend years reading his novels and shorter works.
Hello Ned! I would love to read the Bostonians! Which one would you say is your favorite?
I like the conflict in the Bostonians; the woman's suffrage movement was hot at the time and it transfers well to the current liberal vs conservative conflicts we see in society today.
I think that the general public likes Washington Square the best. It is the earliest of the three I mention. A film, The Heiress, has been made of this novel. I'm not entirely sure why James himself was not satisfied with this novel.
Just to give Woolf a fair shake she did refine her opinion on James and wrote several essays on him, all complimentary!
Paraquito That’s great to know! 👍
I am currently reading The Turn of the Screw, my first Henry James, and found the prose quite dense and cumbersome, had to read sentences thrice before really understanding what’s already going on. But there is something about the work (well at least the one i am reading) that is keeping me intrigued and i hope that goes for all of his other work because i want to read more of him truly. Great video as usual! 💛💛💛
Oh I haven't read read The Turn of the Screw. But I have heard his writing got more complicated as he continued his writing journey.
@@Fortheloveofclassics ooop too bad. i am going to give him a chance but if i still find another of his books hard to understand, then i probably should devote my reading time to another writer's work. Thanks for replying!
Book Hunterrr May be try The Europeans next. It’s shorter and the language is easier.
I'm reading Portrait of A lady and finished reading Daisy Miller. Henry James is great but I prefer Honore de Balzac, Stefan Zweig and Thomas Mann.
I have yet to try these other authors 📝
Very interesting video. I think it’s most interesting that he could write from both a British and American perspective. I haven’t read any of his work but have Daisy Miller on my shelf.
all D books Yes, he knew people from both places and it’s evident in his work.
This was a nice introduction to Henry James who flourished at the turn of the 20th century, but who is not so well known nowadays. I myself have read The Ambassador, Washington Square and A Little Tour in France (non -fiction). His style of writing is a little florid for present day tastes, but I like it. I am a little surprised that you find the time as a presumably busy doctor to cultivate literature. This is very commendable! BTW, something in your manner reminds me of my daughter, who like you is a doctor (GP, in the UK). Do make more videos and best of luck to you.
Thank you 😊
I love to read in my spare time. Lovely to hear about your daughter.
Stay safe 🙌
Henry James is often called' The Master ' and for me he is ....I love all his books
👍
Have you read, ‘The Beast in the Jungle’? It’s perhaps one of the most difficult Of James’ works I’ve come across but also the most thought provoking
No, I haven’t. Thank you for sharing: I’ll try and have a read.
I've just begun reading James's The Ambassadors. I find James a rather difficult author, but am beginning to gain an understanding of his ideas and the way he portrays them in his novels. How are you coming along with this book? Have you gotten to it yet?
I haven’t started reading The Ambassadors yet. I think his earlier works are a bit easier to read with shorter sentences.
I read The Europeans first: which was a comparatively shorter book and so way easier to read.
How are you finding James?
I find James difficult; one has to read slowly and carefully to understand what he's writing about. After finishing the Ambassadors, I read a book called The Method of Henry James by Joseph Warren Beach, which really helped me to understand how to read James's novels. I found that it also helps to know, before reading The Ambassadors, the frequency with which American heiresses would go to Europe to marry men from the aristocratic class, but who had lost all their money.
Looks like having background check on the author is a bonus.
Yes, I think it is. It's important, at least for me, to understand a little bit of the context within which James was writing. And I also think it's helpful to understand how these trends were developing in the other arts as well. Last night, I was listening to some piano music of Gabriel Fauré, and it occurred to me that the melodies Fauré fashioned were in certain respects as truncated and as motivic as James's conversation--at least in James's later novels, like The Ambassadors. Compare Fauré to a composer like Mozart or Beethoven. Their melodies were more rounded and their musical phases seemed to embody a more complete thought. If you turn to paintings, consider the works of Vassily Kandinsky, whose paintings in his Blue Rider period were done only a few years after James wrote The Ambassadors. Here again, you find pictures which are more abstract than the more representational art of earlier years. Many of the objects in his paintings were symbolic, rather like James's snatches of conversation. We need to understand what the different parts of Kandinsky's paintings represented, just as we need to understand what meaning lay behind some of the cryptic utterances of James's characters. It's not immediately evident what Kandinsky was trying to represent, just as it's not immediately evident what some of the characters in James's novels meant. A little bit of thought must be applied to understand their meaning. And the impressionists especially--painters like Monet, Degas, and Renoir--would have been painting in the early years of James's writing. He may also have been influenced by the style of the impressionists, who were, in certain aspects, more concerned with depicting certain ideas of life rather than painting immense canvases which told a complete story, like David or Ingres. At any rate, I hope you really enjoy The Ambassadors when you begin to read it. I found it really fascinating.
Wow! Thank you for sharing that.
I ant believe I never thought like that but that’s so true.
His novels do seem to have hidden, cryptic details which you can’t fathom at a first glance.
I had no clue about the musicians and painters of the time but now I have some names to google.
Thanks! Keep your comments coming♥️
I love Henry james novels too.. I hope I'll read many novels of him.. The portrait of a lady and the turn of the screw are my favorite.
I have yet to read The Turn of the Screw.
Thank you very much I just picked up a few of his books this helped alot.
Glad to be of help 😊
Thank you so much! This video was very helpful👍🏼
You're so welcome! Glad to help.
I've read The Turn of the Screw (which I enjoyed, very Gothic) and just finished The Portrait of a Lady. I agree with you about The Portrait of a Lady. I found it very mediocre. Very informative video. Thanks!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the video. I’m excited to read the turn of the screw next 👍🏽
What are the strengths of HJ's books that you've read that can move one's curiosity about them, that make one wanna read them? A book review should appoint both strengths and weaknesses of the book. It should rise people's curiosity about the book. In this review, I only heard the simple vs. complex sentences that you like and dislike. In the last part, I got interested in how you brushed a bit about the psychological touch of HJ. But unfortunately, you didn't discuss it deeper. I'd love to hear the in-depth discussion about it. It sounds very interesting.
Hi! Your comment just made me more thoughtful about what is it about a book I like. I just wanna keep reading light and enjoyable and keep my reviews more fun and less academic. I can see that could be useless to someone who is studying English literature but for a normal person it might be helpful: I hope it is.
But thank you for your suggestions: I’ll try and incorporate it in the future videos. Cheers!
Awesome Video ❤️
Thank you 😊
Great video especially when I just started reading Portrait of a Lady, my first Henry James novel 👍
Thank you so much ☺️
@@Fortheloveofclassics Portrait is his best in my opinion..
Henry was great and so were his father and brother.
Were they writers as well?
@@Fortheloveofclassics His brother #WilliamJames wrote a classic about religious experience which is well worth a read..
"What Maisie Knew". Also became a pretty good (and recent) movie.
Buzz Selous It’s going on my watch list 🙌
Currently reading The Turn of the Screw and other short stories by James, the language can definitely be cumbersome but I find that the longer I sit with the book the easier it is to really BE in the story and not pay attention to the length and depth of his sentences so much
Yes, his sentences are long. I guess, I should give your trick a try.
Interesting video, I didn't know he was such a prolific writer. I've heard of his more famous works, however have not yet read any. I might give The American a go this year.
Jane Petrie I hope you enjoyed reading his books. Happy reading 📖
Did you say "painful" or "baneful" (those two lip consanants sound similar).
Conner Fields lol, I watched the video to see what i actually said. I said painful 🙈
Plz which work is on literary criticism
I’m sorry but I don’t know
🎂Henry James 04-15-2022
?
-- you can feel more comfortable by wearing sunglasses --
Inside?
@@Fortheloveofclassics Loh Koon Hoong’s advice is puzzling. During my working life (I am now retired) the senior management at my work place encouraged staff to look out for signs of alcoholism in colleagues. One of these signs was stated to be the wearing of sunglasses at inappropriate times. BTW, have you tried reading George Orwell?
I didn't read any book of Henry james but I am going to read the European😚
Hope you enjoy it!
Very welldone girl
Thank you ☺️
100 books? He wrote about 20 Novels
I meant his cumulative works including plays, novellas etc.
There are around 112 "stories", a few of which are often included in lists of "novels" (Daisy Miller, Turn of The Screw, Aspern Papers, etc. - all much closer to a "novella" than a novel), and then ~22 full-fledged novels. Over a 50 year period. No matter how it sliced, though, it's a mighty portfolio! BTW: those stories are collected in two volumes totaling about 2500 pages from Everyman's Library, and it's IMMENSELY satisfying and worthwhile to have those on your shelf! 😍💪😍
@Dan West I find Some of Henry James Novels too difficult to understand like The Golden Bowl.
The Princess Cassamasima was good, charming
I will check it out.
You're doing an amazing 👏 work . Inspiring many like me to read classics. I have suggestion ; actually request , plz make videos about authors you have read or their biographies and explain there mode of writing ✍ through different works. This thing is trending but this job done by bibliophile people like will be a great help . Regards Allah bless you and your family Amen.
Thank you so much ☺️
I haven’t read any autobiographies but I will definitely make videos about specific authors and their works .
Thank you for the the suggestion.
Why we can’t see your eyes?
What is this......phoooo....😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
What on earth was the point of this video? The information supplied is all available on Wikipedia and the lady’s preferences - unsupported as they are by any arguments - are without interest.
Why aren’t you showing your eyes?
Didn't feel comfortable before.
It is not necessary mentioning that his writings and sentences got complicated in his latest novels and this is why you don't like them. No need. This is Henry Jame,nomore no less!!!!