Embarrassments

James, Henry, 1843-1916Project Gutenberg · United StatesMar 2023

4.2

Word count: 335K words
Chapters: 34

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.

Embarrassments by Henry James

Author: James, Henry, 1843-1916,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Jun 25, 2007

Editor's review

Embarrassments is a collection by Henry James, published as a public-domain title in American and Canadian literature. James is known for his fine psychological description and experiments with narrative point of view, and this book likewise reflects his attention to his characters' situations and moral dilemmas. As a free Project Gutenberg e-book, it gives readers low-cost access to James's shorter fiction and is useful for observing his narrative techniques and thematic preferences. Readers should note James's long sentences and understated style; those new to him may find the pace slow, but close reading reveals his layered development of consciousness. The book suits extended reading of James's work and can also serve as supplementary material for literature courses discussing point of view and psychological realism. Reading it alongside background materials and critical guides is recommended to avoid confusion from reading it in isolation.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Henry James and psychological realist literature
Literature students studying English narrative technique and point-of-view experiments
Readers who need free English public-domain books for extended reading
Literature lovers who enjoy close reading of psychology and moral dilemmas

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer fast-paced plots and strong conflict
Beginners with weak English who need a Chinese translation
Readers who only want James's major novels

Reading tips

First learn about Henry James's main themes and narrative features before entering the text.
Slow down and pay attention to characters' inner activity and shifts in narrative point of view.
After each piece, write a few lines summarizing the link between plot and psychological description.
Use critical guides or classroom discussion to help understand the understated expression.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is Embarrassments a novel or a short-story collection?

Sources indicate it is a work by Henry James, a collection-type text within his output. For specific contents and genre details, consult the e-book's table of contents and confirm each piece before arranging your reading order.

Can I read this without having read other Henry James works?

Yes, but be prepared. James's style is subtle and understated with long sentences, which may feel unfamiliar at first. Try one short piece first, use a guide to understand his narrative features, then decide whether to go further.

Is this e-book suitable for classroom teaching?

It works as supplementary material for literature courses, especially when discussing point of view, psychological description, and moral dilemmas. Teachers can assign individual pieces for close reading and add background materials to help students overcome language and period barriers.

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About the author

James, Henry, 1843-1916 Author

Henry James (1843–1916) was a novelist born in the United States who later became a British citizen, known for his psychological realism. He advances his narratives through his characters' consciousness and moral dilemmas, in a delicate, restrained style with carefully crafted sentences, often using limited points of view to leave meaningful gaps. His works frequently explore themes such as the collision between European and American cultures, marriage and freedom, and innocence versus worldly sophistication. The collection holds 81 of his works, including the two-volume The Portrait of a Lady, The Ambassadors, The Wings of the Dove, The Golden Bowl, The Beast in the Jungle, and the novella The Turn of the Screw. These works range from novels to novellas and show his fine, detailed portrayal of inner life across different lengths. Public information is limited, so biographical details are omitted, but these works alone reveal his important place in the tradition of psychological narrative in English literature.