LIBRARY NOTES
 
James Kraft on Henry James
The Wings of the Dove and Selected Stories
Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at 11:00 AM
Whitridge Room; $40 for all three sessions; $15 per session
Wednesdays, November 11 and December 9, 2009, and January 13, 2010
At the beginning of the 20th century, Henry James wrote his three late, great novels.
The Wings of the Dove was published first in 1902 and remains for many readers one of his most rewarding achievements. It concerns the attempt of an American heiress to achieve a sense of personal meaning as she confronts her own nature and the complexity of European culture, manners, and morals, in places - especially England and Venice - that have the power to influence her as much as the poeple she meets.
The novel will be introduced in the first session with some related works, including "The Aspern Papers" (1888), a story that points to the very essence of James' idea of fiction, and Colm Toibin's
The Master (2004). The second and third sessions will cover
The Wings of the Dove directly.
Books for Discussion:
- Wednesday, November 11, 2009:
"The Aspern Papers," "The Beast in the Jungle," and "The Jolly Corner" by Henry James, and
The Master by Colm Toibin
- Wednesday, December 9, 2009:
The Wings of the Dove by Henry James
- Wednesday, January 11, 2010:
The Wings of the Dove by Henry James
The Master and The Wings of the Dove are available for purchase from the Library; information about purchasing books will be sent to registrants. The Modern Library edition of The Wings of the Dove is strongly recommended. The other selections will be sent to registrants free of charge.
James Kraft led the Conversation on Washington Square at the Library in April 2009. He has taught at the University of Virginia, Universite Laval, and Wesleyan University. He has written a critical study of the early tales of Henry James, written a biography and edited a five-volume edition of the work of the poet Witter Bynner, and published many articles on American and Canadian literature.
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