A great starting point for students seeking an introduction to Henry James and the critical discussions surrounding his work.

From the novels The Turn of the Screw and The Portrait of a Lady to his extensive literary criticism, Henry James is recognized today as one of the central novelists and proponents of 19th-century realism. Original essays in this volume analyze the importance of James’ work to his contemporaries, the influence of Nathaniel Hawthorne in his writing, and his failed theatrical career. Each essay is 2,500 to 5,000 words in length, and all essays conclude with a list of
Works Cited,
along with endnotes. Finally, the volume’s appendixes offer a section of useful reference resources: A chronology of the author’s life; A complete list of the author’s works and their original dates of publication; A general bibliography; A detailed paragraph on the volume’s editor; Notes on the individual chapter authors; A subject index.