Henry James: Complete Stories, 1892-1898 (Library of America)

This Library of America volume is one of five that make available for the first time in new, complete, and authoritative editions the astonishing abundance of invention and unwavering intensity of the aesthetic vision of Henry James as displayed in more than one hundred world-famous stories ranging from brief anecdotes to richly developed novellas. Equally adept at ironic comedy, muted tragedy, and supernatural fantasy, at lively social satire and nuanced portraiture, James in his shorter works explores a staggering variety of situations and emotions. Here are courtships and legacies; the worlds of literature, theater, and the popular press; the paradoxes of temperament and the constraints of custom; the clash of conscience and desire. Stylistically, the stories allowed James to experiment with tones and devices quite different from his novels—dramatic plot twists and surprise endings, swift pacing and ebullient humor. The brilliance of his technical command allowed him to transform the tiniest of suggestions—a fleetingly observed gesture, an anecdote dropped at a dinner party—into fiction remarkable for its lambent surfaces and intricate psychological counterpoint. The twenty-one stories in this volume represent James at the peak of his storytelling powers. Among them are “The Turn of the Screw,” one of his most popular works, and a terrifying exercise in psychological horror centering on the corruption of childhood innocence; “The Real Thing,” a playful consideration of the illusion of art and the paradoxes of authenticity; “The Figure in the Carpet,” “The Death of the Lion,” and “The Middle Years,” three very different expositions of the mysteries of authorship, embodying some of James’s most profound insights into the nature of his own art; “The Altar of the Dead,” a somber, ultimately wrenching meditation on the relation of the living to the dead; and “In the Cage,” an extended evocation of the inner life of a young woman trapped in a dehumanizing job at a post This Library of America volume is one of five that make available for the first time in new, complete, and authoritative editions the astonishing abundance of invention and unwavering intensity of the aesthetic vision of Henry James as displayed in more than one hundred world-famous stories ranging from brief anecdotes to richly developed novellas. Equally adept at ironic comedy, muted tragedy, and supernatural fantasy, at lively social satire and nuanced portraiture, James in his shorter works explores a staggering variety of situations and emotions. Here are courtships and legacies; the worlds of literature, theatre, and the popular press; the paradoxes of temperament and the constraints of custom; the clash of conscience and desire. Stylistically, the stories allowed James to experiment with tones and devices quite different from his novelsdramatic plot twists and surprise endings, swift pacing and ebullient humor. The brilliance of his technical command allowed him to transform the tiniest of suggestionsa fleetingly observed gesture, an anecdote dropped at a dinner partyinto fiction remarkable for its lambent surfaces and intricate psychological counterpoint. The twenty-one stories in this volume represent James at the peak of his storytelling powers. Among them are The Turn of the Screw, one of his most popular works, and a terrifying exercise in psychological horror centering on the corruption of childhood innocence; The Real Thing, a playful consideration of the illusion of art and the paradoxes of authenticity; The Figure in the Carpet, The Death of the Lion, and The Middle Years, three very different expositions of the mysteries of authorship, embodying some of Jamess most profound insights into the nature of his own art; The Altar of the Dead, a somber, ultimately wrenching meditation on the relation of the living to the dead; and In the Cage, an extended evocation of the inner life of a young woman trapped in a dehumanizing job at a postal-and-telegraph office. The 21 Stories In Complete Stories 1892-1898 Represent James At The Peak Of His Storytelling Powers. Among Them Are The Turn Of The Screw, One Of His Most Popular Works, A Terrifying Exercise In Psychological Horror Centering On The Corruption Of Childhood Innocence; The Real Thing, A Playful Consideration Of The Illusions Of Art And The Paradoxes Of Authenticity; The Figure In The Carpet, The Death Of The Lion, And The Middle Years, Three Very Different Expositions Of The Mysteries Of Authorship, Embodying Some Of James's Most Profound Insights Into The Nature Of His Own Art; The Altar Of The Dead, A Somber, Ultimately Wrenching Meditation On The Relation Of The Living To The Dead; And In The Cage, An Extended Evocation Of The Inner Life Of A Young Woman Trapped In A Dehumanizing Job At A Postal-and-telegraph Office. Nona Vincent -- The Real Thing -- The Private Life -- Lord Beaupré -- The Visits -- Sir Dominick Ferrand -- Greville Fane -- Collaboration -- Owen Wingrave -- The Wheel Of Time -- The Middle Years -- The Dead Of The Lion -- The Coxon Fund -- The Altar Of The Dead -- The Next Time -- Glasses -- The Figure In The Carpet -- The Way It Came -- The Turn Of The Screw -- Covering End -- In The Cage. Henry James ; [edited And Notes By David Bromwich And John Hollander]. Includes Bibliographical References. "This volume, part of The Library of America's historic new five-volume edition of James's world-famous stories, gathers his first 24 published stories. Diverse in subject, setting, and formal technique, they show the young James equally at ease writing historical tales or exploring contemporary events, as in three stories that treat the effects of the Civil War on civilians. James very early exhibited his famous psychological acuity, as in "Master Eustace," a study of a spoiled child's emotional ruthlessness, and "Guest's Confession," a comic portrayal of the narcissism of an arrogant businessman. Here are early examples of James's lifelong fascination with art and artists, and the first explorations of some of his most significant themes: the force of social convention and the compromises it demands; the complex and often ambiguous encounter between Europe and America; the energies of human passion measured against the rigors of artistic discipline. Adumbrating later triumphs, and compelling in their own right, the stories in this volume reveal an accomplished young talent mastering the art of the short story." --Book Jacket A handsome, authoritative edition of twenty-one classic stories from James's latest and greatest period includes "The Turn of the Screw," "The Figure in the Carpet," and "The Altar of the Dead."