The Ambassadors (published in 1903) - A dark comedy, written by Henry James

Henry James was one of the greatest literary figures of the 19th century and his works are considered mini masterpieces of the time. He was born in New York City into a wealthy and intellectual family. Young James was tutored in the many learning centers of Europe and also studied at the Harvard Law School for some time. But he liked his literary pursuits to the study of law. James preferred living in Europe than in America and even renounced his American Citizenship for its refusal to enter in to World War I. He was a regular contributor to literary magazines and started his first novel “Watch and Ward” in his early twenties. His masterpieces like “Daisy Miller” and “Portrait of a Lady” quickly followed. His protagonist are complex individuals battling personal and provincial prejudices and many a time bring about the complexities of American and European lives. Henry James died at the age of 65 and his ashes are interred at Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The Ambassadors is one of most fulfilling book penned by Henry James and chronicles again the American and European way of life. Here Young America is portrayed as a puritan stiff culture which stifles the lives of its citizens, where as European Paris with its Joie de vivre, is completely satisfying.



Lambert Strether is a Puritan New England citizen who is engaged to a wealthy industrialist widow Mrs. Newsome. But his fiancée agrees to the wedding only if he can bring her wayward son, Chad from Paris. So Strether leaves for Paris and alights in London where he meets witty Maria Gostrey, whose opinions leave him shaken. He leaves for Paris and meets Chad who to his amazement is a young man with impeccable manners. Through Chad he meets Madame Marie de Vionnet whose beauty and sophistication allures him. Strether feels the air changing around him and the fun and beauty takes hold of his being. He enjoys the sights and actions in the new city accompanied by many of his friends. All the more his attraction for Marie, questions his commitment to return to New England to marry Chad's mother.
Strether drinking in the new experiences confides in Young Bilham, Chad's friend that he has missed many life defining moments and makes up his mind to be part of the Parisian scene. Mrs. Newsome dispatches a new set of Ambassadors who involve Chad's sister, Sarah and her husband. They are invulnerable to the charms of Paris and even behave like uncouth sailors upon their arrival.
Strether meanwhile comprehends that there is a amazing romantic relationship between Marie and Chad and is forced to check his feelings. He feels bad to break them up and make Chad return to the stifling atmosphere of New England. He advises Chad to stay loyal to Marie in Paris and plans his way home.
Ambassadors is again a typical Henry James novel, long, verbose and defining. Each situation and decisions are weighed through the pages and requires a lot of patience and dexterity to stay on course. But the story and prose is bound to hold your attention and you grow in to it. It is definitely not one of your slam bang novels which holds you at the first word. Love for Henry james comes at a leisurely pace and therefore is long lasting.

The Bostonians (published in 1886) - A novel by Henry James

Henry James was one of the greatest literary figures of the 19th century and his works are considered mini masterpieces of the time. He was born in New York City into a wealthy and intellectual family. Young James was tutored in the many learning centers of Europe and also studied at the Harvard Law School for some time. But he liked his literary pursuits to the study of law. James preferred living in Europe than in America and even renounced his American Citizenship for its refusal to enter in to World War I. He was a regular contributor to literary magazines and started his first novel “Watch and Ward” in his early twenties. His masterpieces like “Daisy Miller” and “Portrait of a Lady” quickly followed. His protagonist are complex individuals battling personal and provincial prejudices and many a time bring about the complexities of American and European lives. Henry James died at the age of 65 and his ashes are interred at Cambridge, Massachusetts.
This politically charged novel explores the burning issues of the feminist movement, namely independence, suffrage and the parity in relationships. Even now women are confronted to make a choice between personal and professional relationships and many do not find fulfillment in life because of the choice they are forced to make.
Basil Ransom is a no-nonsense civil war veteran and a lawyer from the south for whom women and independence do not go together. He spends some time with his cousin Olive Chancellor, a fiery feminist and political opponent. He does not subscribe to her values and opinions about suffrage and feminism. Olive sees in him a remnant of the past who has to be redeemed and takes him along to hear a lecture from a famous speaker Verona Tarrant.



Verona, a daughter of the mesmeric healer is a prodigious talent, whose mesmeric voice catches the audience. Olive sees this talent which can be used for her movement and gets her to move in with her, and becomes her mentor, guide and coach. For Verona's parents she is a goldmine whom can be used for monetary reasons. Basil goes for the lecture and falls for Verona's beauty. He does not care two hoots for her opinions and personal choices, and pursues her insistently. Olive is much dismayed by Basil's actions and guards her charge with vehemence. But to her chagrin Verona reciprocates Basil's attentions and chooses personal happiness to political statements. Basil and Verona elope much to the discomfiture of Olive and other political activists.
This book revolves around the three characters, Basil, Verona and Olive with others merely being benign spectators. Olive's fiery feminist views and noble intentions is over shadowed by her usage of Verona for personal reasons. Verona is the beauteous lady who has to make the choice between love and opinions and ends up between the devil and the deep sea. She has to leave her freedom and personality for a man and happiness of having a home. Her tears are not her last ones, Henry James assures us, as she sacrifices her beliefs in the altar of love. Doesn't this echo the predicament of todays career women who still has to choose between personal fulfillment and advancement in life?
The echoes of the Bostonians are very real even today and the ultimate redemption willl come only if women need not be caricature's of a dragon career lady or the plain homemaker. The freedom of choice and fulfillment would be the ultimate nirvana for the feminist movement. Till then the tears will not be th last one to fall.

The Reverberator (published in 1888) - A classic story by Henry James

Henry James was one of the greatest literary figures of the 19th century and his works are considered mini masterpieces of the time. He was born in New York City in to a wealthy and intellectual family. Young James was tutored in the many learning centers of Europe and also studied at the Harvard Law School for some time. But he liked his literary pursuits to the study of law. James preferred living in Europe than in America and even renounced his American Citizenship for its refusal to enter in to World War I. He was a regular contributor to literary magazines and started his first novel “Watch and Ward” in his early twenties. His masterpieces like “Daisy Miller” and “Portrait of a Lady” quickly followed. His protagonist are complex individuals battling personal and provincial prejudices and many a time bring about the complexities of American and European lives. Henry James died at the age of 65 and his ashes are interred at Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The Reverberator is a comic love story in which James explores the public hunger for gossip. He explores the journalistic voyeurism akin to todays page 3, which is actually due to the indiscretions on the part of the public itself.



The Dossons are a nouveau rich family who are rising steadily in the society. In contrast are the Proberts who are American born, but cling to their old French roots for societal recognition. The Proberts are the snobbish aristocracy of the town who look down upon Dossons new money. The Dossons in Paris get acquainted with George Flack who writes for an American Gossip paper “The Reverberator” who introduces them to the finer points of Parisian life and art. Young Francie Dosson poses as a model for a painting and gets introduced to Gaston Probert and their whirlwind romance culminates in to an engagement.
Francie even though had turned down Flack's proposal, she remains friends with him. The Proberts are dismayed by the engagement but everything remains hunky dory on the surface. But the lull before the storm does not last long when Francie talks about the intimate going-on's within the Probert's circle. Flack promptly prints the juicy details in his newspaper and all hell breaks loose. The Proberts are sickened by the reports and even Gaston is horrified by Francie's indiscretion. But the Dossons and Francie are not very apologetic as they find nothing disturbing about the reports. They even find the publicity mildly amusing.
So does the scandal cause a wedge between Gaston and Francie? Well this may turn out to be a spoiler - Suzanne, Gaston's sister supports Francie in an unexpected turn of events and this urges Gaston too to put his weight behind her. After a little heart burn both Gaston and Francie do get married.
This book also chronicles James's pet subject about the clash of cultures, between the old world snobbery and new world indiscretions. This is one of the rare comedies written by Henry James and certainly deserves a look.