About this title: "The mere slim shade of an intelligent but presumptuous girl...a certain young woman affronting her destiny" is how Henry James describes his first perception of Isabel Archer, who grew into one of his most magnificent heroines. An American heiress newly arrived in Europe, Isabel does not look to a man to furnish her with her destiny; instead she ...
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Edition: Reprint.
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: Penguin Books, New York
Date Published: 1984
ISBN-13:9780140432237ISBN:014043223X
Description: Very good. No dust jacket as issued. Beautiful copy. Pages tight and clean. Light wear to covers. One corner a little bent. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 656 p. Audience: General/trade. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Date Published: 1984
ISBN-13:9780140432237ISBN:014043223X
Description: Good. Moderate shelf wear with moderate scuffing to cover, corners and edges. May contain corner page folds. GoodwillnyBooks is committed to providing each customer with the highest standard of customer service. You may return new items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. read more
Description: Good. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Date Published: 1984-09-04
ISBN-13:9780140432237ISBN:014043223X
Description: Very good. Very minimal damage to the cover (no holes or tears, only minimal scuff marks), in some instances dust jackets are not included, no missing pages, minimal to no highlighting/under. read more
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: Penguin Books
Date Published: 1984
ISBN-13:9780140432237ISBN:014043223X
Description: Good. No dust jacket as issued. Some creasing and wear, but pages seem clean. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 656 p. Audience: General/trade. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin, New York
Date Published: 1988
ISBN-13:9780140432237ISBN:014043223X
Description: Very Good. Penguin Classics. Quality paperback. Creased cover. Clean and tight, a very nice unmarked copy. 4.5 X 7" Member, Florida Antiquarian Booksellers Association. read more
Description: Very Good. 8vo-over 7¾"-9¾" tall. First published, 1881. Tight, clean copy. Light edgewear to wraps. Age toning. "When Isabel Archer, a beautiful, spirited American, is brought to Europe by her wealthy Aunt Touchett, it is expected that she will soon marry. But Isabel, resolved to determine her own fate, does not hesitate to turn down two eligible suitors. She then finds herself irresistibly drawn to Gilbert Osmond, who, beneath his veneer of charm and cultivation, is cruelty itself. A story of ... read more
Edition: 15th Printing
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin Books, New York
Date Published: 1963
ISBN-13:9780140432237ISBN:014043223X
Description: No Illustritions. Very Good. No Jacket. ILLUSTRATED PAPERBACK COVER, LIGHTLY BUMPED EDGES WITH LIGHT SHELFWEAR. INTERIOR PAGES CLEAN, BRIGHT AND TIGHT. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Date Published: 1984
ISBN-13:9780140432237ISBN:014043223X
Description: Acceptable. Reading Copy Only-Expect Signs Of Wear, And Perhaps A Little Damage *** Expect to receive a well read copy-The condition of the book will be readable, perhaps with heavy creasing and some damage. You wouldn't want to give it as a present-Dispatched in padded packaging. ** UK SELLER-Get it in days not weeks ** read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Date Published: 1984
ISBN-13:9780140432237ISBN:014043223X
Description: Good. Crease to cover. EXCELLENT value for money and ready for dispatch. Delivery usually within 3/5 days. Our reputation is built on our Speedy Delivery Service and our Customer Service Team. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Date Published: 1984
ISBN-13:9780140432237ISBN:014043223X
Description: Very Good. Small crease to cover. EXCELLENT value for money and ready for dispatch. Delivery usually within 3/5 days. Our reputation is built on our Speedy Delivery Service and our Customer Service Team. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Date Published: 1984
ISBN-13:9780140432237ISBN:014043223X
Description: Very Good. No major defects-unabridged, clean, complete, not falling apart; some light wear. A perfectly good reading or reference copy. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Date Published: 1984
ISBN-13:9780140432237ISBN:014043223X
Description: Good. This book is in GOOD overall condition. It shows signs of having been read and has general light wear to the cover, spine and pages. read more
"I sometimes worry that my Goodreads page will, if I'm not careful, turn into my personal Society for the Appreciation of Totally Mainstream, Not-At-All-Obscure, Dead European Man-Writers And Their Already-Leatherbound-and-Modern-Library-Canonized Works...but if my (mostly) chaste and (completely) non-ironic passion for Henry James is wrong, then I don't want to be right. You don't need me to tell you about the finely distilled genius of this book - how the characters link and uncouple from scene to scene in something between a chess game and a dance; how it is the most perfect evocation of the different ways Americans take themselves through the world; the final paragraph - and I don't know if you could take my word for it anyway, because I think I'm a little obsessed. Oh Mr James - Henry? Hank? No. - we share so much! You loved writing books, I love the books you wrote. You were the consummate expatriate, and I am an expatriate right now! Henry James, I AM YOU."
"I picked up this book because I have a (personal) interest in the theme of "The American Woman Abroad." This is the quintessential novel that deals with that idea and at first I wasn't dissapointed in the setting, character or drama that was unfolding. I found myself loving the brave, spirited protagonist, Isabel Archer, and imagined that for her challenging 19th century conventions was no small feat. I have to wonder though, what was Henry James thinking when he thought that by "confronting her destiny" she was admitting defeat and going back to if not abusive, a damaging, marriage. It's not that I expected Isabel to break free completely and marry someone more "suitable," but I suppose I had hoped that she was going to the the impossible (perhaps in a novelist such as James' imagination at that time) and break free and live her own life, her own way. Again, maybe I read novels with too much Post-modern, American romanticism, hoping that all can "confront their destiny" and breakaway from the socially imposed orders that oppress them in various ways. But marriage for all the characters just seemed too inevitable in this book. And while I see the glimmer of a feminist consciousness in James, I think I'm too much of one to read this novel with ease."
"When I finished this book, I threw it down on the table in anger and walked away muttering. I guess we all want books to end like.. well, books! Not like real life. We have enough real life around us. Aren't books for escaping all that?
Maybe. This book is probably a classic because it is complex enough to actually resemble the real world. People make mistakes. Small mistakes. Big mistakes. Life-changing mistakes. They also show a lot of spirit and charisma, which is also real. None of the characters are simplified into "good" or "evil" exactly. They're ... REAL. They have good points. They have bad points. They make you angry while you're reading so you want to slap them and tell them to "cut it out!!" But then you learn for them to find love and fulfillment and happiness. That's real life. It's not simple and easy to read like most books, with a happy or predictable ending. I HATED the ending because it left so many things unresolved.
But, despite all that... I have to admit it was an amazing read."
"Henry James is, admittedly, long winded. At times, one does feel like you want him to move along already. However, he is always worth the read to me.
In this book, I love the character of Isabel Archer. She is young, full of ideas, wants to travel and see the world and have experiences (i remember being that way!). One must also remember that society for young women at this time was much more restrictive and Isabel's ideas less likely to be satisfied. Her greatest quality, however, is her desire to do what is right. This is really what holds her captive to her destiny, whether it is refusing suitors or remaining loyal to difficult decisions. I think this characteristic makes the book particularly valuable/ relateable for Christian women. In the secular context, Isabel's deliberations would be viewed as annoying and even juvenille. In addition, a secularist would berate her "sacrificing" her freedom to remain steadfast to a decision she regrets. It is only in the refinement of a desire for right living, and freedom from impurity, that one can truly appreciate Isabel Archer's struggles and resolutions.
Other great things about this book are the wonderful characters of Ralph Touchett and Henrietta Stackpole, not to mention the compelling mystery of Madame Merle. Of course, a book set in England, Florence and Rome is also good for a European escape!"
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