Henry James – författare

En ung guvernant till två föräldralösa barn på det ensliga godset Bly utanför London, accepterar mystiska villkor för sin anställning. Väl på plats möts hon av en stämning av iskall och stirrande övernaturlighet, barnen hon måste skydda samt en tvetydig husföreståndarinna. Alltmer osäker blir också läsaren, på fasans egentliga källa.När skruven dras åt är en av världslitteraturens mest klassiska spökhistorier, skriven av den psykologiska romanens mästare Henry James. Kanske mer än någon från sin tid kom James att inspirera våra moderna skräckmytologier; från bilden av oskulden som ondska, till schizoida labyrinter à la Roman Polanski.När skruven dras åt presenteras här i nyöversättning av Ola Klingberg och med ett förord av skräckvetaren Mattias Fyhr.HENRY JAMES [1843 1916] föddes i New York men emigrerade tidigt till Europa. Han hör till den anglosaxiska sekelskifteslitteraturens viktigaste namn.»Den har kallats världens bästa spökhistoria. Och när jag läser om Henry James klassiska kortroman När skruven dras åt, nu i utmärkt nyöversättning av Ola Klingberg, så instämmer jag. Igen.« OLA LARSMO, DAGENS NYHETER»Och i Ola Klingbergs smidiga, lätt arkaiserande översättning har nu boken äntligen! fått en bra svensk titel, till och med bättre än originalets.« CARL-JOHAN MALMBERG, SVD»Henry James förbereder helt enkelt spökhistorien för ett nytt sekel genom att ge den en ny litterär myndighet.« MIKAEL VAN REIS, GP

En ung guvernant till två föräldralösa barn på det ensliga godset Bly utanför London, accepterar mystiska villkor för sin anställning. Väl på plats möts hon av en stämning av iskall och stirrande övernaturlighet, barnen hon måste skydda samt en tvetydig husföreståndarinna. Alltmer osäker blir också läsaren, på fasans egentliga källa.När skruven dras åt är en av världslitteraturens mest klassiska spökhistorier, skriven av den psykologiska romanens mästare Henry James. Kanske mer än någon från sin tid kom James att inspirera våra moderna skräckmytologier; från bilden av oskulden som ondska, till schizoida labyrinter à la Roman Polanski.När skruven dras åt presenteras här i nyöversättning av Ola Klingberg och med ett förord av skräckvetaren Mattias Fyhr.HENRY JAMES [18431916] föddes i New York men emigrerade tidigt till Europa. Han hör till den anglosaxiska sekelskifteslitteraturens viktigaste namn.»Den har kallats världens bästa spökhistoria. Och när jag läser om Henry James klassiska kortroman När skruven dras åt, nu i utmärkt nyöversättning av Ola Klingberg, så instämmer jag. Igen.« OLA LARSMO, DAGENS NYHETER»Och i Ola Klingbergs smidiga, lätt arkaiserande översättning har nu boken äntligen! fått en bra svensk titel, till och med bättre än originalets.« CARL-JOHAN MALMBERG, SVD»Henry James förbereder helt enkelt spökhistorien för ett nytt sekel genom att ge den en ny litterär myndighet.« MIKAEL VAN REIS, GP

»Porträtt av en dam är Henry James stora mänskliga mästerverk.« | THE GUARDIANIsabel Archer avvisar den ene mannen efter den andre. Med arvet efter en rik släkting kan hon uppfylla sin dröm om ett självständigt liv. Hon reser till Italien. I Florence träffar hon exilamerikanen och konstsamlaren Gilbert Osmond. Han har charm och smak, men det är i stort sett allt hon vet om honom. Trots vännernas avrådan säger hon ja när han friar. Till skillnad från andra, låsta i konventioner, ger Osmond intryck av att vara fri. Fast vad ska egentligen Isabel med hans frihet, när hon har sin egen?Isabel Archer är en av litteraturens mest omtalade kvinnogestalter. Det sätt Henry James gestaltar henne, utan analys; enbart genom sina uttryck och sin erfarenhet, gör Porträtt av en dam [Portrait of a Lady, 1881] till en av litteraturhistoriens mest innovativa romaner. Romanen är uppdelad i två band, varav detta är del ett. I översättning av Lisbeth & Louis Renner, och med ett nyskrivet förord av litteraturforskaren och kritikern Josefin Holmström.HENRY JAMES [1843 -1916] föddes i New York men emigrerade tidigt till Europa. Han hör till den anglosaxiska sekelskifteslitteraturens viktigaste namn, med romaner som Amerikanen [1877] och skräckromanen När skruven dras åt [1898].»Henry James utforskade privatlivet och vad det kostar att bevara det. Vi behöver honom mer än någonsin.« | THE NEW YORKER»Det är konstnärens uppgift att göra mänskligheten medveten om sig själv. Hos Henry James är det arbetet klart.« | EZRA POUNDOm När skruven dras åt:»Den har kallats världens bästa spökhistoria. Och när jag läser om Henry James klassiska kortroman När skruven dras åt, nu i utmärkt nyöversättning av Ola Klingberg, så instämmer jag. Igen.« | OLA LARSMO, DN»Och i Ola Klingbergs smidiga, lätt arkaiserande översättning har nu boken äntligen! fått en bra svensk titel, till och med bättre än originalets.« | CARL-JOHAN MALMBERG, SvD»Henry James förbereder helt enkelt spökhistorien för ett nytt sekel genom att ge den en ny litterär myndighet.« | MIKAEL VAN REIS, GP

»Porträtt av en dam är Henry James stora mänskliga mästerverk.« | THE GUARDIANIsabel Archer avvisar den ene mannen efter den andre. Med arvet efter en rik släkting kan hon uppfylla sin dröm om ett självständigt liv. Hon reser till Italien. I Florence träffar hon exilamerikanen och konstsamlaren Gilbert Osmond. Han har charm och smak, men det är i stort sett allt hon vet om honom. Trots vännernas avrådan säger hon ja när han friar. Till skillnad från andra, låsta i konventioner, ger Osmond intryck av att vara fri. Fast vad ska egentligen Isabel med hans frihet, när hon har sin egen?Isabel Archer är en av litteraturens mest omtalade kvinnogestalter. Det sätt Henry James gestaltar henne, utan analys; enbart genom sina uttryck och sin erfarenhet, gör Porträtt av en dam [Portrait of a Lady, 1881] till en av litteraturhistoriens mest innovativa romaner. Romanen är uppdelad i två band, varav detta är del två. I översättning av Lisbeth & Louis Renner, och med ett nyskrivet förord av litteraturforskaren och kritikern Josefin Holmström.HENRY JAMES [1843 -1916] föddes i New York men emigrerade tidigt till Europa. Han hör till den anglosaxiska sekelskifteslitteraturens viktigaste namn, med romaner som Amerikanen [1877] och skräckromanen När skruven dras åt [1898].»Henry James utforskade privatlivet och vad det kostar att bevara det. Vi behöver honom mer än någonsin.« | THE NEW YORKER»Det är konstnärens uppgift att göra mänskligheten medveten om sig själv. Hos Henry James är det arbetet klart.« | EZRA POUNDOm När skruven dras åt:»Den har kallats världens bästa spökhistoria. Och när jag läser om Henry James klassiska kortroman När skruven dras åt, nu i utmärkt nyöversättning av Ola Klingberg, så instämmer jag. Igen.« | OLA LARSMO, DN»Och i Ola Klingbergs smidiga, lätt arkaiserande översättning har nu boken äntligen! fått en bra svensk titel, till och med bättre än originalets.« | CARL-JOHAN MALMBERG, SvD»Henry James förbereder helt enkelt spökhistorien för ett nytt sekel genom att ge den en ny litterär myndighet.« | MIKAEL VAN REIS, GP

The illegitimate and impoverished son of a dressmaker and a nobleman, Hyacinth Robinson has grown up with a strong sense of beauty that heightens his acute sympathy for the inequalities that surround him. Drawn into a secret circle of radical politics he makes a rash vow to commit a violent act of terrorism. But when the Princess Casamassima - beautiful, clever and bored - takes him up and introduces him to her own world of wealth and refinement, Hyacinth is torn. He is horrified by the destruction that would be wreaked by revolution, but still believes he must honour his vow, and finds himself gripped in an agonizing and, ultimately, fatal dilemma. A compelling blend of psychological observation, wit and compassion, The Princess Casamassima (1886) is one of Henry James's most deeply personal novels.

Penguin Readers is an ELT graded reader series for learners of English as a foreign language. With carefully adapted text, new illustrations and language learning exercises, the print edition also includes instructions to access supporting material online.Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction, introducing language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content.The eight levels of Penguin Readers follow the Common European Framework of Reference for language learning (CEFR). Exercises at the back of each Reader help language learners to practise grammar, vocabulary, and key exam skills. Before, during and after-reading questions test readers' story comprehension and develop vocabulary.The Wings of the Dove, a Level 5 Reader, is B1 in the CEFR framework. The text is made up of sentences with up to four clauses, introducing present perfect continuous, past perfect, reported speech and second conditional. It is well supported by illustrations, which appear regularly.Kate and Densher are in love and want to get married. Densher is a poor journalist, and Kate's aunt tells her that she must marry someone rich. But Kate has a plan. She decides to deceive Milly, a sweet young heiress who is very ill. She wants Milly to marry Densher so he can get her money after she dies. Will Kate's plan succeed?Visit the Penguin Readers websiteExclusively with the print edition, readers can unlock online resources including a digital book, audio edition, lesson plans and answer keys.

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics.‘The place, with its grey sky and withered garlands, its bared spaces and scattered dead leaves, was like a theatre after the performance-all strewn with crumpled playbills.’Revered as one of the greatest ghost stories ever told, James’s The Turn of the Screw is an eerie Victorian masterpiece.When an inexperienced governess goes to work at Bly, a country house in Essex to look after a young boy Miles and his sister Flora, all manner of strange events begin to occur. The governess spots a ghostly man and woman around the grounds and is told by the housekeeper that the valet and previous governess haunt the house. It soon becomes clear that the children are inexplicably connected to these ghosts in some way and the young governess struggles to protect the children, although from exactly what, she is not sure.Exploring the psychological and sexual fears of an era, this ambiguous, suspenseful and anxiety-inspiring novella remains one of Henry James’s most well-known tales.

The original American in Paris. This dark comedy, seen as one of the masterpieces of James's final period, has all the elements of great writing, brilliant plot and gorgeous setting- An Edwardian gentleman from the States arrives in seedy and sophisticated Paris to rescue his wayward future step son. But his innocent American background has not prepared him for such seduction...Beautiful hardback gift edition of this collectable classic.This complex tale of self-discovery -- considered by the author to be his best work -- traces the path of an aging idealist, Lambert Strether. Arriving in Paris with the intention of persuading his young charge to abandon an obsession with a French woman and return home, Strether reaches unexpected conclusions.

'A most wonderful, lurid, poisonous little tale' Oscar WildeThe Turn of the Screw, James's great masterpiece of haunting atmosphere and unbearable tension, tells of a young governess sent to a country house to take charge of two orphans, Miles and Flora. Unsettled by a dark foreboding of menace within the house, she soon comes to believe that something, or someone, malevolent is stalking the children in her care. Is the threat to her young charges really a malign and ghostly presence, or a manifestation of something else entirely? Edited and with an Introduction and Notes by David Bromwich Series Editor: Philip Horne

A chilling collection of Henry James's finest ghost stories, now in a wonderful Clothbound Classics editionIn 'The Turn of the Screw', one of the most famous ghost stories of all time, a governess becomes obsessed with the belief that malevolent forces are stalking the children in her care. But are the children really in danger - and if so, from whom? The novella is accompanied here by several more of the very best of Henry James' short stories, including 'The Jolly Corner' and 'The Third Person', all of which explore human psychology through ghostly visitations and the uncanny.

Regarded by many as Henry James's finest work, and a lucid tragedy exploring the distance between money and happiness, The Portrait of a Lady contains an introduction by Philip Horne in Penguin Classics.When Isabel Archer, a beautiful, spirited American, is brought to Europe by her wealthy aunt Touchett, it is expected that she will soon marry. But Isabel, resolved to enjoy the freedom that her fortune has opened up and to determine her own fate, does not hesitate to turn down two eligible suitors. Then she finds herself irresistibly drawn to Gilbert Osmond. Charming and cultivated, Osmond sees Isabel as a rich prize waiting to be taken. Beneath his veneer of civilized behaviour, Isabel discovers cruelty and a stifling darkness. In this portrait of a 'young woman affronting her destiny', Henry James created one of his most magnificent heroines, and a story of intense poignancy.This edition of The Portrait of a Lady, based on the earliest published copy of the novel, is the version read first and loved by most readers in James's lifetime. It also contains a chronology, further reading, notes and an introduction by Philip Horne.Henry James (1843-1916) son of a prominent theologian, and brother to the philosopher William James, was one of the most celebrated novelists of the fin-de-siècle. In addition to many short stories, plays, books of criticism, biography and autobiography, and much travel writing, he wrote some twenty novels. His novella Daisy Miller (1878) established him as a literary figure on both sides of the Atlantic, and his other novels in Penguin Classics include Washington Square (1880), The Portrait of a Lady (1881), The Awkward Age (1899), The Wings of the Dove (1902), The Ambassadors (1903) and The Golden Bowl (1904).If you enjoyed The Portrait of a Lady, you might like Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence, also available in Penguin Classics.'Matchless, a grave description of one of life's great traumas, the passage from innocence to experience'Anita Brookner

Mrs Gereth is convinced that Fleda Vetch would make the perfect daughter-in-law. Only the dreamy, highly-strung young woman can genuinely appreciate, and perhaps eventually share, Mrs Gereth's passion for her 'things' - the antique treasures she has amassed at Poynton Park in the south of England. Owen Gereth, however, has inconveniently become engaged to the uncultured Mona Brigstock. As a dramatic family quarrel unfolds, the hesitating Fleda is drawn in, yet she remains reluctant to captivate Owen, who seems as attracted to her as she is to him. Is she motivated by scruple or fear? In The Spoils of Poynton (1897), Henry James created a work of exquisite ambiguity in his depiction of three women fighting for the allegiance of one weak-willed man.

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics.‘Money's a horrid thing to follow, but a charming thing to meet.’Isabel Archer is a beautiful, intelligent and independent young woman. Brought from America to England by her wealthy Aunt who seeks to further her education and find her niece a husband, Isabel is determined to shape her own future – one that does not necessarily entail becoming a wife. Isabel inherits a fortune when her rich uncle dies and feels even more inclined to turn down two eligible suitors on the basis that she is a woman of her own means. However, a trip to Italy heralds her downfall when she meets the charming Gilbert Osmond, a worthless, yet ambitious and scheming dilettante.

Lambert Strether, a mild middle-aged American of no particular achievements, is dispatched to Paris from the manufacturing empire of Woollett, Massachusetts. The mission conferred on him by his august patron, Mrs Newsome, is to discover what, or who, is keeping her son Chad in the notorious city of pleasure, and to bring him home. But Strether finds Chad transformed by the influence of a remarkable woman; and as the Parisian spring advances, he himself succumbs to the allure of the 'vast bright Babylon' and to the mysterious charm of Madame de Vionnet. The text of this Oxford World's Classics paperback is that of the New York edition, with James's Preface. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

An unnamed young governess is sent to a country house to take charge of two orphans, Miles and Flora. Yet she is soon oppressed by a sense of foreboding and deep disquiet, becoming convinced that something dark is threatening her young charges. But are supernatural forces at work, or is the danger something altogether more earthly?Henry James’s masterpiece, and widely considered to be the greatest ghost story ever written, The Turn of the Screw remains the apogee of suspenseful, haunting writing in the English language.

Skruvens Vridning av Henry James Handlingen i Skruvens Vridning tilldrar sig vid mitten av 1800-talet. i en ödsligt belägen herrgård på den engelska landsbygden. Detta är en spökhistoria i en berättartradition som i anglosaxiska länder kallas gothisk, högromantisk. En ung guvernant skall som sitt första arbete ta hand om två föräldralösa barn. De båda barnen visar sig besitta mycket speciella egenskaper. Det spänningsfält som skapas kring barnen leder fram till en dramatisk upplösning. Den svenska upplagan av boken är sedan länge slutsåld, men det gör inget en riktig spökhistoria skall berättas. Henry James (1841-1916) var född i en förmögen amerikansk familj men flyttade tidigt till England och blev såsmåningom engelsk medborgare. han lämnade en begränsad litterär produktion efter sig. Han är i England och USA fortfarande en högsta grad en levande och mycket läst författare. Skruvens Vridning har filmats och gjorts TV-film otaliga gånger. Den mest kända filmatiseringen är sannolikt Jack Claytons version från 1961 gjord på ett manus av Truman Capote. Ewa Fröling har gjort inläsningen av boken medan Sten Ljunggren läser inledningen. Total speltid 4 timmar 12 minuter. Spår ca var femte minut.

Henry James's great masterpiece, now in a stunning Penguin clothbound edition designed by the acclaimed Coralie Bickford-Smith.When Isabel Archer, a beautiful, spirited American, is brought to Europe by her wealthy aunt Touchett, it is expected that she will soon marry. But Isabel, resolved to enjoy her freedom, does not hesitate to turn down two eligible suitors. Then she finds herself irresistibly drawn to Gilbert Osmond. Charming and cultivated, Osmond sees Isabel as a rich prize waiting to be taken. In this portrait of a 'young woman affronting her destiny', Henry James created one of his most magnificent heroines, and a story of intense poignancy.This edition is based on the earliest published copy of the novel: this is the version that was read first and loved by most readers in James's lifetime. It also includes an introduction, notes and other editorial materials by leading James scholar Philip Horne.Henry James was born in 1843 in Washington Place, New York, of Scottish and Irish ancestry. In addition to many short stories, plays, books of criticism, autobiography and travel, he wrote some twenty novels, the first published being Roderick Hudson (1875). They include The Europeans, Washington Square, The Portrait of a Lady, The Bostonians, The Princess Casamassima, The Tragic Muse, The Spoils of Poynton, The Awkward Age, The Wings of the Dove, The Ambassadors and The Golden Bowl.Philip Horne is Professor of English at University College London.

An epic, ambitious and page-turning mystery that will appeal to fans of The Shadow of the Wind, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell and The Time Traveller’s WifeLondon, 1896. Andrew Harrington is young, wealthy and heartbroken. His lover Marie Kelly was murdered by Jack the Ripper and he longs to turn back the clock and save her.Meanwhile, Claire Haggerty rails against the position of women in Victorian society. Forever being matched with men her family consider suitable, she yearns for a time when she can be free to love whom she choses.But hidden in the attic of popular author – and noted scientific speculator – H.G. Wells is a machine that will change everything.As their quests converge, it becomes clear that time is the problem – to escape it, to change it, might offer them the hope they need…

HarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.`Money's a horrid thing to follow, but a charming thing to meet.’Isabel Archer is a beautiful, intelligent and independent young woman. Brought from America to England by her wealthy Aunt who seeks to further her education and find her niece a husband, Isabel is determined to shape her own future – one that does not necessarily entail becoming a wife. Isabel inherits a fortune when her rich uncle dies and feels even more inclined to turn down two eligible suitors on the basis that she is a woman of her own means. However, a trip to Italy heralds her downfall when she meets the charming Gilbert Osmond, a worthless, yet ambitious and scheming dilettante.

HarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.`The place, with its grey sky and withered garlands, its bared spaces and scattered dead leaves, was like a theatre after the performance-all strewn with crumpled playbills.’Revered as one of the greatest ghost stories ever told, James’s The Turn of the Screw is an eerie Victorian masterpiece.When an inexperienced governess goes to work at Bly, a country house in Essex to look after a young boy Miles and his sister Flora, all manner of strange events begin to occur. The governess spots a ghostly man and woman around the grounds and is told by the housekeeper that the valet and previous governess haunt the house. It soon becomes clear that the children are inexplicably connected to these ghosts in some way and the young governess struggles to protect the children, although from exactly what, she is not sure.Exploring the psychological and sexual fears of an era, this ambiguous, suspenseful and anxiety-inspiring novella remains one of Henry James’s most well-known tales.

HarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.Kate Croy is a beautiful but impoverished young woman forced to live with her successful but astringent Aunt, Maude Lower. Lower intends Kate to marry the aristocratic Lord Mark, but she is already in love with a journalist, Merton Densher. Though their lack of money prevents the two from marrying, the destitute couple soon become friends with Milly Theale, an American heiress with an ambiguous ailment and an obvious affection for Densher. As Theale’s health grows worse, Kate weaves a web of intrigue that pushes Densher into Theale’s arms in the hopes of securing her fortune. Theale retreats to Venice in the last throes of her sickness, and Densher, realizing the extent of Kate’s manipulation, forces her to choose between money and love.

HarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.Christopher Newman is an American expatriate in Paris; his fortune made, he has moved to the Old World to enjoy his wealth and find a wife. Newman soon falls for a young widow, the aristocratic Claire de Bellegarde, but his brash New World sensibility horrifies her haughty family. Though the family oppose the idea of the couple’s marriage, reversals of fortune cause them to reconsider. When another suitor arrives on the scene all appears lost, until Newman befriends Claire’s younger brother Valentin and finds himself in possession of a dark family secret. As the novel unfolds, James’s unmistakable stylistic grace combines with his less well-known sense of melodramatic romance, resulting in a finale that combines duels, death, betrayal and blackmail.

The vivacious Kate Croy finds herself torn between love and money, friendship and ambition; “the crown of Henry James’s achievement.” Now a critically acclaimed film.The vivacious Kate Croy finds herself torn between love and money, friendship and ambition; “the crown of Henry James’s achievement.” Now a critically acclaimed film.Kate Croy is a beautiful but impoverished young woman forced to live with her successful but astringent Aunt, Maude Lower. Lower intends Kate to marry the aristocratic Lord Mark, but she is already in love with a journalist, Merton Densher. Though their lack of money prevents the two from marrying, the destitute couple soon become friends with Milly Theale, an American heiress with an ambiguous ailment and an obvious affection for Densher. As Theale’s health grows worse, Kate weaves a web of intrigue that pushes Densher into Theale’s arms in the hopes of securing her fortune. Theale retreats to Venice in the last throes of her sickness, and Densher, realizing the extent of Kate’s manipulation, forces her to choose between money and love.

William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic fiction read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly abridged and remastered stories are now available to download for the first time.When a young governess is hired to care for two orphans in a country estate, she soon realises that something is lurking in the grounds of the house. But is it a mere ghost, or an altogether more sinister presence at work?The tension of this timeless horror is perfectly captured by stage and screen actress Virginia McKenna.

William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic fiction read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly abridged and remastered stories are now available to download for the first time.Horror, mystery and suspense abound in this collection of the nation’s favourite gothic stories. From the foggy streets of London to the hills of Transylvania and the grounds of a country estate, relive the fear that these tales have been igniting in listeners for over one hundred years.These classic stories are read by Born Free’s Virginia McKenna; Dr. Who’s Tom Baker; and A Touch of Frost’s Bruce Alexander.This collection includes:• The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, read by Virginia McKenna• Dracula by Bram Stoker, read by Bruce Alexander• The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, read by Tom Baker

*The inspiration behind Netflix's The Haunting of Bly Manor*Discover Henry James's most famous and terrifying story in an edition which also includes a unique selection of his best loved ghost stories.A young governess is sent to a great country house to care for two orphaned children. To begin with Flora and Miles seem to be model pupils but gradually the governess starts to suspect that something is very wrong with them. As she sets out to uncover the corrupt secrets of the house she becomes more and more convinced that something evil is watching her.'A most wonderful, lurid, poisonous little tale' Oscar Wilde

Henry James's third novel is an exploration of his most powerful, perennial theme - the clash between European and American cultures, the Old World and the New. 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.