The Portrait of a Lady* - Henry James

http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9780486452418-0 - After reading Colm Toibin's The Master a couple months back, I was interested in reading Henry James. The Stanford Book Group picked this one as a summer selection. I thought it would take a lot of effort to make it through the 19th century classic, but I was shocked to discover after only about ten pages in that I was hooked. James is the king of description - he can spend pages telling you just how someone sat in a chair, or describing a look on someone's face - presumably this is why it has been said that he does not translate so well to film or stage. The Portrait of a Lady is the story of Isabelle Archer, an American, who is brought to Europe by her aunt in an effort to expose her to more refined culture. Isabel, a woman of modest means, promptly turns down two marriage proposals in assertion of her independence. She suddenly comes into money, and gender, family and financial politics come into play as Isabel determines how to live out the rest of her life. Not a lot happens in the novel - the plot (with spoilers) can be reduced to a single paragraph, but James's telling of the story is truly masterful - James, as portrayed by Toibin, seemed to live a life of less than perfection, but after reading his writing, I understand why he is so widely celebrated. Portrait is the perfect book to read beside the fireplace with a cup of tea - very British and quite a lot of fun.

(* - Listed in 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die)