Washington Square is the story of Catherine Sloper, a young heiress who is wooed by Morris Townsend, a handsome gentleman who is more interested in Catherine's inheritance than he is in her. When the two get engaged against the wishes of her stubborn father, Catherine must make a choice between the only man she will ever love and the wealth that she will inherit. Named for the upscale area of New York in which the novel is set, Washington Square is a classic examination of social class in mid-nineteenth-century New York.
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"Good! Better than re-reading all the Jane Austen novels, I think I will start reading Henry James. Good for anyone who likes novels in which marriage prospects are labeled by their annual income. " — Jennifer (4 out of 5 stars)
"Good! Better than re-reading all the Jane Austen novels, I think I will start reading Henry James. Good for anyone who likes novels in which marriage prospects are labeled by their annual income. "
Lorna Raver doesn't just read this book; she inhabits it.
“Henry James is as solitary in the history of the novel as Shakespeare in the history of poetry.”
“Lorna Raver doesn’t just read this book; she inhabits it.”
“Washington Square is a perfectly balanced novel…a work of surpassing refinement and interest.”
" I enjoyed listening to this book, but I wanted the heroine, who everyone thought was rather pathetic, to prove them wrong. Catherine appears to be smarter towards the end of the book, but never gets to be happy. "
" This book is worth more than three stars, but I can't say that I loved it. Definitely worth reading. "
" Excellent livre comme tout les Jules Verne "
" so, I really had no feelings about this book... I didn't really care what happened to anyone... so yeah "
" Forging past the aloof writing style, the reader is almost surprised to find a certain wry wit emerging in this tale of a father and daughter as they duel over the suitability of her suitor. In the end it proves to be an ant-romance novel shooting down all the superficial expectations the aunt, and perhaps the reader, has developed from the passion of popular love stories. "
" This will be a bit of a spoiler, so stop reading if you want to read this. It was not until after I read the book that I found it was a tragicomedy. Not sure where the humor was but I get the tragedy part. Well written. Nice to read an American classic instead of English classic. I was surprised at the difference in style and tone. I liked the book but it was really sad. "
" Well written and I thoroughly enjoyed this classic "
" Like the story but I find James difficult to read; feels like an elephant taking a slow walk to the river for a drink. "
" Still can't decide whether to admire Catherine or feel terribly sorry for her. "
" A timeless classic -- the book that Jane Austen would have written, had she had written a book about New York. "
" This book is from The Big Read. It was well written and I can understand why it was selected for The Big Read. However, it is really hard to like a book when you find all the characters unlikeable. "
" Though not as efficient as DAISY MILLER, the emotions prove to be more powerful. A book that merits days of thought. "
" Boy, I'm a pretty good dad. "
" I liked this - the characters are interesting. I stayed curious about what would happen. I recommend. "
" Not one of my favorite Henry James novels. "
" I'd forgotten how much I love the words of Henry James and this heartbreaking story. "
" I liked it more than everybody else in my class, but it was rather dry and obviously depressing. "
" Read the book. See the movie -- "The Heiress" (1949) "
" For some reason I wanted to read some Henry James. A glimpse into a long-ago world. "
" Pretty good, I guess. It's a bit abstruse but still a good story. "
" I liked this one more than Daisy Miller. It was interesting to read this one right before reading 'Portrait of a Lady' because of the comments that James makes on the differences between Americans and the British. "
" Reading this book for my book club. It's a bit like going back to school, challenging my brain with "real literature," but I'm glad I'm reading it. I think I'll appreciate it more after our book club discussion in one week. "
" This is a great book to read for folks who have finished all the Jane Austen books and are dying to read more Jane Austen. The humor is more dry and not as punchy, but it is there. Beautiful writing. "
" It says a lot about an author when he can dedicate so much time and effort into making fun of his own characters. I don't think I was in a bitter enough mood for this. "
" I read the first chapter or more, wasn't impressed. Skipped to the end of the book and felt like I didn't miss much. Not worth my reading time--or maybe I am just uncultured. "
" whoa...comic relief and not much else "
" The characters are all terribly annoying, but overall the book is good. "
" Quite a sad tale of a rich, but very plain girl, with a suitor who wants to marry her for her money and a dad who is adamently against it. So descriptive in character studies. "
" Well written but the characters weren't all that sympathetic. A good read nevertheless. "
Henry James (1843–1916), American novelist, short-story writer, and man of letters, was born in Washington Place, New York, to a family of distinguished philosophers and theologians. He attended schools in New York, Boston, and throughout Europe, where he later settled. A major figure in the history of the novel, he is celebrated as a master craftsman who brought his great art and impeccable technique to bear in the development of abiding moral themes.
Lorna Raver, named one of AudioFile magazine’s Best Voices of the Year, has received numerous Audie Award nominations and many AudioFile Earphones Awards. She has appeared on stage in New York, Los Angeles, and regional theaters around the country. Among her many television credits are NYPD Blue, Judging Amy, Boston Legal, ER, and Star Trek. She starred in director Sam Raimi’s film Drag Me to Hell.
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