Book Description
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 determine her own fate, does not hesitate to turn down two eligible suitors. She then finds herself irresistibly drawn to Gilbert Osmond, who, beneath his veneer of charm and cultivation, is cruelty itself. A story of intense poignancy, Isabel's tale of love and betrayal still resonates with modern audiences.
About the Author
Henry James (1843-1916), born in New York and eventually settling in England, wrote some twenty novels, many short stories, and a staggering number of letters. Geoffrey Moore was general editor for the works of Henry James in Penguin Classics. He died in 1999. Patricia Crick, one-time scholar of Girton College, Cambridge, is a teacher of modern languages.
Portrait of a Lady FROM OUR EDITORS
Isabel Archer is one of the greatest heroines in all literature -- an American heiress just arrived in Europe, high-spirited, independent, and faced with a tragic choice. The novel considered by many critics to be James's greatest literary achievement.
ANNOTATION
Young Phillip Pirrip's life is shaped by an act of kindness which raises him from poverty to wealth. One of the greatest works of classic literature, this novel is a timeless tale of love, hope and humanity. (Digest)
FROM THE PUBLISHER
When Isabel Archer, a young American woman with looks, wit, and imagination, arrives in Europe, she sees the world as 'a place of brightness, of free expression, of irresistible action'. She turns aside from suitors who offer her their wealth and devotion to follow her own path. But that way leads to disillusionment and a future as constricted as 'a dark narrow alley with a dead wall at the end'. In a conclusion that is one of the most moving in modern fiction, Isabel makes her final choice.
FROM THE CRITICS
AudioFile
With amazing vividness, Nina Foch essays Henry James's earliest (1881) and perhaps most accessible masterpiece. A penniless American girl is brought to Europe where her beauty, ingenuousness, and naﾽvetﾽ attract a variety of suitors. In spite of wanting to do everything right, everything comes out wrong in this perceptive, subtle, and multilayered psychological novel, which Foch plays like a musical instrument. A rather loud one — she hits all the notes correctly but coarsely. The effect is like a bordello pianist—albeit one with nimble fingers—playing Chopin on an old upright. A maladroit abridgment causes occasional confusion. Lackadaisical engineering adds stridency and calls attention to edits. Y.R. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine
Art & Photography
Book Info
