Henry James

Henry James, OM ((1843-04-15)15 April 1843 – 28 February 1916(1916-02-28)) was an American writer who spent most of his writing career in Britain. He is regarded as one of the key figures of 19th-century literary realism. He was the son of Henry James, Sr. and the brother of philosopher and psychologist William James and diarist Alice James.

He is best known for a number of novels showing Americans encountering Europe and Europeans. His method of writing from a character's point of view allowed him to explore issues related to consciousness and perception, and his style in later works has been compared to impressionist painting. His imaginative use of point of view, interior monologue and unreliable narrators brought a new depth to narrative fiction.

James contributed significantly to literary criticism, particularly in his insistence that writers be allowed the greatest possible freedom in presenting their view of the world. James claimed that a text must first and foremost be realistic and contain a representation of life that is recognisable to its readers. Good novels, to James, show life in action and are, most importantly, interesting.

James Henry

James Henry may refer to:

See also

Henry James (biographer)

Henry James (May 18, 1879 – December 13, 1947) was an American writer who won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography in 1931. He was the son of philosopher and psychologist William James, nephew of novelist Henry James.

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, James graduated with an A.B. from Harvard University in 1899 and a Bachelor of Laws from Harvard Law School in 1904. He practiced law in Boston until 1912, when he became business manager of the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research. During World War I he was a member of the Rockefeller Foundation's War Relief Commission, served as a private in the 89th Infantry Division, and was commissioned as a lieutenant. In 1917, he married Olivia Cutting, daughter of financier William Bayard Cutting. After their divorce, he married Dorothea Draper Bladgen in 1938.

James wrote Richard Olney and His Public Service (1923), a biography of the United States Secretary of State, and Charles W. Eliot, President of Harvard University, 1869-1901 (1930), which won the 1931 Pulitzer Prize for History. He also edited The Letters of William James (1921).