Views and Reviews

"Views and Reviews" by Henry James is a collection of critical essays written in the late 19th century. The book compiles various literary critiques that Henry James authored over his prolific writing career, offering insights on notable authors, their works, and the literary landscape of his time. It serves as a reflection on the evolution of literature and art criticism, highlighting James's sharp observations and stylistic evolution throughout his career, as well as his perspectives on the works of contemporaneous writers. The opening of "Views and Reviews" sets the stage for a deep exploration of literary criticism. In the introduction, Le Roy Phillips notes that these essays present a clearer and more accessible style characteristic of James's earlier works, contrasting with the complexity he developed later. This section contextualizes James's development as a critic, tracing his early contributions to literary magazines and hinting at the range of topics he covers in the essays that follow. As the introduction highlights, the essays will engage with various authors, including George Eliot, Robert Browning, and others, demonstrating James's thoughtfulness in critiquing their contributions and shaping the discourse around literature. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Henry James was an American-British author. He is regarded as a key transitional figure between literary realism and literary modernism, and is considered by many to be among the greatest novelists in the English language. He was the son of Henry James Sr. and the brother of philosopher and psychologist William James and diarist Alice James.