Henry James
| Henry James Jr. | |
|---|---|
 Henry James in 1890 |
|
| Born | April 15, 1843 New York City |
| Died | February 28, 1916 (aged 72) London |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Nationality | British |
| Ethnicity | Anglo-Saxon |
| Alma mater | Harvard Law School |
| Notable work(s) | The Turn of the Screw The Portrait of a Lady The Wings of the Dove Daisy Miller The Ambassadors |
| Relative(s) | Henry James, Sr. (father), William James (brother), Alice James (sister) |
Henry James OM (1843–1916) was an Anglo-American novelist. He was one of the most important literary people of the late 19th century. James was the son of Henry James Senior, a clergyman, and the brother of William James, the psychologist and philosopher. His sister, Alice James, was also a writer.
In his novels, he wrote from the viewpoint of one of the characters. Some literary critics compared this to impressionist painting. In his own literary criticism, James insisted that writers be allowed the greatest possible freedom in how they looked at the world. He thought a text should be realistic, and its account of life be recognisable to its readers. Good novels, to James, show life in action and are interesting.
He published fictional books, articles and books of travel, biography, autobiography, and criticism, and wrote plays, some of which were performed during his lifetime. His plays probably influenced his later novels and tales.
