The American
by Henry James
Assigned by 1 of the 9 reading lists, catalogue entry only
- Written
- 1877
- Form
- Novel
- Language
- English
- Length
- Long · 370 pp300 to 700 pages
- Difficulty
- Moderate2 of 5 for a first-year reader
We recommendThe AmericanPenguin Classics, 1986The original 1877 text rather than James's heavily revised New York Edition, with a good introduction.
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Christopher Newman, a self-made American millionaire of thirty-six, comes to Paris in 1868 to enjoy his money and find a wife. He is introduced to Claire de Cintré, a young widow of the ancient Bellegarde family, and after her mother and elder brother grudgingly consent, she accepts him. They then withdraw their consent, unwilling in the end to admit a commercial man, and Claire enters a Carmelite convent. Newman learns from a dying servant that the Marquise murdered her husband, and holds the proof; he considers exposing them and finally burns the paper.
No reading guide yet
The catalogue entry above is complete: the dates, the form, the themes and every program that assigns The American are verified against each program's published list.
What is missing is the part that takes real work: the summary, the key passages, and a recommended translation. The edition named below is the one most programs assign, so the buy links are useful already.
