The Ambassadors
Tags
Summary
Editor's review
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers interested in Henry James’s literary world who wish to read a representative work of his mature period
- Readers who love psychological realist fiction and enjoy delicate inner portrayal and depictions of moral dilemmas
- Readers curious about the theme of cultural encounter and exchange between Europe and America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
- Readers able to appreciate complex and refined sentences, unafraid of slow-paced narrative, and seeking an aesthetic literary experience
Not a good fit for
- Readers seeking strong plot, fast pace, and a clear story ending
- Readers impatient with extensive psychological description and philosophical speculation
Reading tips
- Set aside uninterrupted, quiet reading time and immerse yourself in James’s dense and rhythmic language
- Pay attention to Strether’s observations of and reactions to Parisian art, streetscapes, and social occasions; these details are key to his change of consciousness
- After finishing, compare it with James’s earlier or middle-period works to appreciate the introspective and condensed qualities of his late style
About the publisher
Founded in 1995, Tiandi Press focuses on thematic publishing, history and culture, literary works, self-help psychology, and books for young readers. Judging from the 121 titles in our database, the press has a notable strength in foreign literature and classic works: it publishes Yasunari Kawabata's Snow Country, The Old Capital, and The Izu Dancer, as well as The Last Words, a collection of short stories by Ryunosuke Akutagawa, Joseph Roth's The Radetzky March, and Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle. In history, it offers Jiang Tingfu's Modern Chinese History, while social novels and social-cultural titles come from authors such as Luo Luo and Cao Yinghua. The presence of Effective Argumentation: The Most Practical Logic Training Course in American Universities also reflects the press's interest in logic training and self-help. Public information is limited, and the above reflects its publishing profile only through the titles in our database.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 代序
- 自序
- 第一章
- 第二章
- 第三章
- 第四章
- 第五章
- 第六章
- 第七章
- 第八章
- 第九章
- 第十章
- 第十一章
- 第十二章
- 第十三章
- 第十四章
- 第十五章
- 第十六章
- 第十七章
- 第十八章
- 第十九章
- 第二十章
- 第二十一章
- 第二十二章
- 第二十三章
- 第二十四章
- 第二十五章
- 第二十六章
- 第二十七章
- 第二十八章
- 第二十九章
- 第三十章
- 第三十一章
- 第三十二章
- 第三十三章
- 第三十四章
- 第三十五章
- 第三十六章
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About the author
Henry James (1843–1916) was an American novelist and literary critic, born in New York and died in London. He lived in Europe for many years and settled in Britain, taking British citizenship in 1915 to protest the United States' non-participation in the war. His representative works include The Portrait of a Lady, Daisy Miller, The Wings of the Dove, The Ambassadors, The Golden Bowl and the novella The Turn of the Screw. James is known for his "international theme," often depicting the moral and emotional predicaments of characters caught between European and American cultures. He is also noted for psychological realism, with delicate prose that foregrounds the inner consciousness of his characters. This library holds eighteen of his works, including novels, selected short stories and an English-language original edition, generally classified under foreign literature and literary appreciation.
Yuan Decheng is an author about whom little public information is currently available. Two of his works are included in the database, falling respectively under the common categories of foreign literature and examination preparation. His representative works are The Envoy, which belongs to the field of foreign literature, and Principles of Automatic Control, which is classified as examination material. These two titles differ considerably in subject matter, suggesting that his writing or editorial work is not confined to a single field: the former points to literary translation or related discussion, while the latter is closer to a textbook for science and engineering courses and exam preparation. Because his dates of birth and death, nationality, education, and professional experience are not clearly recorded, it is not possible to establish his background or how his writing style developed, nor to assess the actual influence and reader response of these works. The available information indicates only that Yuan Decheng has taken part in writing or translating both literary and automatic control materials, with works appearing in each of these categories.
Ao Fan is an author about whom publicly available information is limited. At present, only one Chinese-language work by this author can be confirmed, namely The Envoy. Within the library, this work is classified under foreign literature, which suggests that the author's writing or editorial work relates to the introduction, translation, or adaptation of foreign literary works. The title The Envoy itself carries diplomatic and mission-related connotations, readily evoking narratives centered on diplomatic occasions, cross-cultural exchange, or experiences in foreign lands. Owing to the absence of reliable records concerning the author's life, nationality, educational background, and period of creation, no further judgment can be made about their personal history, writing career, or literary standing, nor would it be appropriate to exaggerate the social influence of the work. On the basis of the available information, Ao Fan's creative profile remains rather unclear; readers wishing to understand the author's style can only begin with The Envoy and consider it within the context of its foreign literature classification. It is hoped that more complete public information will emerge in the future to present a clearer picture of this author.
Zeng Lingfu is an author about whom very little public information is available; the only confirmed details are his name and a single work. His representative work is The Envoy, which is commonly classified under foreign literature. As no reliable records have been found regarding his dates of birth and death, nationality, or educational background, this profile cannot offer further details about his life. Based on the available clues, the title The Envoy suggests that the work may deal with diplomacy, missions abroad, or cross-cultural exchange, though its specific content and genre remain to be verified. As an author with only one title in the database, Zeng Lingfu's writing profile cannot be summarized as a whole, and his style and influence await the disclosure of more material before they can be assessed. Readers interested in the author and his book should base their judgment on the actual text of The Envoy rather than draw excessive inferences from limited metadata.