The Master
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Summary
The Master begins here and runs to 1899, when his brother William James visits him in the small town of Rye. Over these four years his life is relatively quiet, yet beneath the surface all is turmoil.
He often thinks back on the important passers-by in his life, women who left their mark on his work and his soul in different ways; he is unsettled by his own sexuality; he reflects on his family and the influence his relatives have had on his life; he longs for warmth and consolation, yet deliberately keeps his distance from others; he hopes to create a masterpiece for the ages, yet is constantly beset by despair...
This is a crucial psychological turning point in Henry's life. In Tóibín's sympathetic and tender prose, Henry James, that master of psychological writing, is shown in cross-section through his delicate, sensitive heart—a fitting microcosm of a life lived estranged in a foreign land, and alone.
Editor's review
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers who enjoy literary biographical fiction and are interested in a writer's psychology
- People going through midlife confusion or creative blocks, seeking resonance
- Readers who appreciate restrained, delicate prose and do not require strong plot
- Literature lovers curious about Henry James's life and work
Not a good fit for
- Readers who prefer fast pacing and strong plot conflict
- Readers expecting a comprehensive biographical account of a life
- Readers impatient with interior monologue and slow narrative
Reading tips
- Read one or two of Henry James's short stories first, then enter this book; it will be easier to feel the echoes of the psychological portrayal.
- Read slowly chapter by chapter, noting the contrast between banquet scenes and solitary ones, and sense the shifts in the character's emotions.
- Keep pen and paper handy to note Henry's repeated reflections on family, sexuality, and creativity, then look back after finishing to form an overall impression.
About the publisher
Shanghai Translation Publishing House is a Chinese publisher oriented mainly toward translation and publishing. Its publications cover foreign literature, world classics and classic works, as well as social culture, folk literature and classical poetry. The database contains 2,618 titles, including Never Let Me Go, Les Misérables (2 volumes), Don Quixote (illustrated collector's edition), The Complete Comedies of Molière (4 volumes), The Complete Novels of Kafka (3 volumes), The Collected Works of Dostoevsky (9-volume set), Reason and Persons, and Oedipus Rex (Translation Classics). Its author resources include foreign writers such as Kazuo Ishiguro, Victor Hugo, Cervantes and Molière, as well as translators such as Zheng Kelu, Sun Jiameng, Li Jianwu and Zhang Kun. The publisher has brands such as "Translation Classics Selections" and "Translation Documentary," and emphasizes translated works in foreign literature and the humanities and social sciences, while also publishing bilingual dictionaries and foreign-language educational books. Public information is limited; the above is based on the book information in the database.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 第一章 一八九五年一月
- 第二章 一八九五年二月
- 第三章 一八九五年三月
- 第四章 一八九五年四月
- 第五章 一八九六年五月
- 第六章 一八九七年二月
- 第七章 一八九八年三月
- 第八章 一八九八年六月
- 第九章 一八九九年三月
- 第十章 一八九九年五月
- 第十一章 一八九九年十月
- 译后记
FAQ
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About the author
Colm Tóibín is a major contemporary Irish writer. Ten of his works are included in this collection, spanning novels, short-story collections and essays, and are commonly grouped under foreign literature, essays and miscellaneous writings, and classic works. His representative works include Nora Webster, The Master, The Blackwater Lightship, The Magician, Long Island, The House of Names and The Testament of Mary, as well as Wilde, Yeats, Joyce and Their Fathers. His writing often centres on family relationships, emigration and return, personal memory and identity, with a restrained and understated touch, revealing his characters' complex emotions and psychological depths through everyday detail. He is also known for writing about literary history and writers' lives, as in The Master, which focuses on Henry James. Because public information is limited, his early life and honours are not discussed here; readers may explore his narrative style and literary influence through the works mentioned above.
Bai Li is an author about whom little public information is available. At present, only six of her works are listed on the Chinese book site, commonly categorized under foreign literature and classic works. Her representative titles include Nora Webster, The Master, The Magician, Long Island, Mother and Son, and Five Bridges. Judging from the titles and categories, her work largely involves the translation or related writing of foreign literary works, with themes leaning toward classic and serious literature and touching on family, life, and art. Because basic details such as biography, nationality, and dates of birth and death are not recorded, it is difficult to form a complete judgment of her writing career and overall style. Nevertheless, these works show her sustained engagement in introducing foreign literature to Chinese readers and deserve attention on the strength of the texts themselves.
