Henry James - Five Books Expert Recommendations

Classics by Henry James that you should read  | The Times of India
			

Ranking Henry James novels – Humanizing The Vacuum

The Top 10 Henry James Novels

The Greatest Books: Written by Henry James

Isabel Archer, a highly intellectual and independent woman in her twenties from Albany, New York, loses her father. Subsequently, her aunt, Mrs. Touchett, offers to take her on a European trip. Despite having an admirer, Caspar Goodwood, Isabel leaves for England, eager to explore the world. Once in England, she rejects a marriage proposal from Lord Warburton, a wealthy neighbor, wanting to retain her independence. Following the death of Mrs. Touchett's husband, Isabel inherits a substantial fortune, drawing the attention of the sophisticated Madame Merle. 

Madame Merle introduces Isabel to Gilbert Osmond, a man of modest means but strong intellectual prowess. Isabel is swept away by Osmond and decides to marry him despite her friends and family's disapproval. Osmond, however, sees Isabel more as a possession and an economic asset than a life partner. As their marriage spirals into mutual contempt, they live in a Roman palazzo with Osmond's daughter, Pansy. Simultaneously, an American art collector, Edward Rosier, falls in love with Pansy, but Osmond insists on her marrying a nobleman. 

Isabel ends up torn between her duty towards her husband and her conscience. She wants to help Pansy marry Rosier, whom she loves, but Isabel's husband insists on Pansy marrying Lord Warburton. The dynamics become more complicated when Isabel discovers that Madame Merle, who had a significant role in her marrying Osmond, is Pansy's biological mother. On hearing about her cousin Ralph's deteriorating health, Isabel defies Osmond, who forbids her to leave, and goes to England. After Ralph's death, Isabel finds herself at a crossroads, choosing between returning to Osmond or embracing her independence. Ultimately, Isabel decides to return to Rome, unable to break off her marriage.


The Portrait of a Lady

El retrato de una dama

What Maisie Knew

Lo que Sabía Maisie

The Golden Bowl

El Cuenco Dorado

The Bostonians

Los Bostonianos

The Ambassadors

Los Embajadores

A tale is recounted from a past Christmas Eve gathering, where attendees shared ghost stories in a historical home. One guest, Douglas, shared an eerie tale involving a young governess, his sister, who cared for two children, Flora and Miles, after their former governess passed away. The children lived in a secluded country house under the guardianship of a charming bachelor. The recounting of this tale transitions to the perspective of the governess, detailing her peculiar encounters.

On her arrival at Bly, the country house, the governess is introduced to Flora and a housemaid, Mrs. Grose, which assuages her initial anxiety. However, she soon learns of Miles' expulsion from school, the reasons for which are unclear. This unsettling news prompts her to seek more information from Mrs. Grose, but she is placated when assured of Miles' typical boyish behavior. One evening, the governess encounters a strange man within the grounds of the house twice. Mrs. Grose identifies the man as Peter Quint, a former valet, now deceased. The governess becomes convinced that this apparition is after Miles, leading her to oversee the children more strictly. During a lakeside visit with Flora, she perceives the specter of her predecessor, Miss Jessel, and suspects Flora of hiding this eerie presence. Mrs. Grose subsequently reveals the inappropriate relationships Quint and Miss Jessel had with the children.

The peaceful atmosphere is disrupted when the governess has another encounter with Quint, this time on the staircase after a gust of wind put out her candle. Following this event, she finds Flora hiding in her room and, in the following nights, sees the ghost of Miss Jessel. After a discussion with Mrs. Grose about the children's peculiar behavior and her suspicions of them meeting the ghosts, the governess resolves to contact their guardian. At the same time, she threatens to leave if Mrs. Grose contacts him. However, after another encounter with Miss Jessel's ghost, she ultimately decides to stay. One evening, the governess questions Miles about his behavior and the missing letter she had intended to send to their guardian, which he admits to taking. In the final chilling encounter, the governess sees Quint outside, and as Miles looks for him, he suddenly dies in her arms.

The Turn of the Screw

Otra vuelta de tuerca

Washington Square

Plaza Washington

In the exquisite Swiss holiday destination of Vevey, a young American man, Winterbourne, crosses paths with Daisy Miller, a wealthy yet naive American girl touring Europe with her family. Having spent the majority of his existence in Geneva, Winterbourne is intrigued and captivated by Daisy's unorthodox behavior that breaks from the decorum expected of European women. Despite facing the disapproval from his aunt, Mrs. Costello, he decides to spend more time with Daisy and even accompanies her to Chillon Castle, a renowned local attraction, without a chaperone.

Winterbourne reunites with Daisy in Rome the following winter, only to be disturbed upon hearing rumors from his aunt about Daisy's new companions, renowned gold-diggers, and her becoming the talk of the town. He's particularly shocked by Daisy's close association with Mr. Giovanelli, a charming yet enigmatic Italian man, whose relationship with Daisy has left Winterbourne baffled and has drawn criticism from the American community in Rome, including Mrs. Walker, a prominent figure in the Roman high society. 

Despite Winterbourne and Mrs. Walker's attempts to caution Daisy about the damage her conduct is causing to her reputation, she turns a deaf ear. Her deepening connection with Mr. Giovanelli and her inconsistent statements about their relationship status leave Winterbourne questioning her character. One evening, he finds Daisy and Giovanelli at the Coliseum, a malaria hotspot, and is immediately disillusioned with her apparent lack of self-respect. However, concern for her well-being prevails, leading him to reprimand Giovanelli and implore him to ensure her safety. Unfortunately, Daisy falls seriously ill shortly after and passes away. Before her demise, she sends a message to Winterbourne through her mother, revealing that his opinion of her mattered. A year later, reflecting on Daisy’s message, Winterbourne admits to his aunt that he committed a grave error in judgment and confesses that he has been living in Europe for too long. Despite this, he eventually returns to the familiarity of his past life in Geneva.

Daisy Miller

The Tragic Muse

La Musa Trágica

9 Best Henry James Books of All Time

The Portrait of a Lady

What Maisie Knew

The Golden Bowl

The Bostonians

The Ambassadors

The Turn of the Screw

Washington Square

Daisy Miller

The Tragic Muse

Sources

What To Read Next

9 Best Henry James Books of All Time

The Portrait of a Lady

What Maisie Knew

The Golden Bowl

The Bostonians

The Ambassadors

The Turn of the Screw

Washington Square

Daisy Miller

The Tragic Muse

Sources

What To Read Next

Share this page