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James presents the story of a wealthy doctor's wholly unremarkable daughter, and her whirlwind courtship with an untrustworthy gold digger. While reading this book is certainly not the worst thing that will ever happen to you, the whole experience is a bit like having tea with your Aunt Gertrude: expect a staid, rather dull affair where everyone minds his or her manners, trivialities are discussed, and then all go home . . . lulled into complacency, but still feeling slightly peckish.
I'm of two minds when it comes to this book. On the one hand, the writing and James' observations are exquisitely on point, and he is able to create such a fleshed out story with so little story-line. On the other, I disliked all the characters. I did sympathize with Catherine, and in a way, even with Morris, but I did not connect to them. I've found this to be the case with other books by Henry James as well as Edith Wharton. They are such masters of language, but for me, they are not as acutel...
An early work by Henry James (1880) and rather brief, The plot is straightforward. Dr Sloper lives with his daughter Catherine and hus widowed sister Mrs Penniman. They live in Washington Square and Sr Sloper is reasonably well off and Catherine also has some money left by her mother. Dr Sloper (and the narrator) describe Catherine as rather plain and unitelligent. Into this family scene enters Morris Townsend, a very handsome and penniless young man who woos Catherine (and charms Mrs Penniman)
Henry James is Gangnam styleGangnam styleCatherine Sloper is warm and humanle during the dayA classy girl who know how to enjoy the freedom of a cup of coffeeA girl whose heart gets hotter when night comesA girl with that kind of twistI’m a guy called Morris TownsendA guy who is as warm as you during the dayA guy who one-shots his coffee before it even cools downA guy whose heart bursts when night comesThat kind of guyBeautiful, loveableYes you, Catherine Sloper, yes you, heyBeautiful, loveableY...
[Revised, pictures and shelves added 4/15/22]Here we are in New York City in the mid-1880s, a bit before Edith Wharton’s time, but in the same social milieu. This is a kind of novel of manners and kind of a mid-19th Century soap opera. Our author is Henry James, so be prepared for the long, convoluted, comma- and semi comma-laden sentences akin to those of Jane Austen.Still a fascinating book. Catherine, more or less our heroine, is plain, stolid, timid, obedient and, quite frankly, a bit on the...
Heartbreaking glimpse of the dynamic between a cruel father and his dependent daughter, Washington Square is a great short story; however, it is so melancholy I have never reread it because I can never forgive or forget the despotic, mental barbarity of her father.
" James Writes Fiction as if it were a Painful Duty "- Oscar Wilde“One of the Nicest Old Ladies I Ever Met”-Faulkner, describing JamesOn my journey to read most modern "classics" as well as at least one novel by each renowned author, I've repeatedly avoided Henry James. Several years back I started on one and found myself daydreaming that my late grandmother was offering a sudsy soliloquy on a couple of "nice" and "clean" romances of her time (the 1930s). In all events, I finally opted for Was...
My first completed book of the year and one that has totally altered my view of Henry James and his fiction. Instead of being what I had thought of as the somber "master" of cold 19th century fiction, he is a man with sharp and perceptive humor, a clever sense of inequalities between sexes and in society. My enlightenment is partially responsible for my rating, though I also enjoyed the novel!The story is really quite simple...wealthy father knows what is best for future heiress daughter. Rogue
Henry James should have gone with the more apt and obvious title Two Shitty Men Say Mean Things To Two Silly Women.
“if you are going to be pushed you had better jump”― Henry James, Washington Square* I understand it is anachronistic to include a picture of Washington Square's arch when it wasn't around (errected in 1892) when the novella was published (1880) or set (pre-Civil War NYC). Oh, well, but I like it.In the spirit of Jane Austin or Brontë, Henry James gets his family love drama on. Washinton Square slowly unfolds the story of simple Catherine's romance with Morris Townsend. Set against this ill-fate...
