William Dean Howells, who had published Henry James in the Atlantic, sketches his friend’s background and early career and then turns to the work: “A Passionate Pilgrim”, Roderick Hudson, The American and Daisy Miller. He argues that James invented the international novel and defends his refusal to tie up his stories with tidy endings.
A short essay of real historical weight, written when both men were reshaping American fiction. Download the free EPUB.