The Golden Bowl by Henry James: Adapted by Joseph Cowley

Henry James

Jul 2013 · Author House

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238

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Eligible

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About this ebook

Henry James was born in the United States, in New York City, on April 15, 1843 and is considered an American writer, though he spent most of his life in England and, a year before his death in London on February 28 1916, became a British citizen. He is regarded as one of the key literary figures of the 19th century, writing mainly narrative fiction. He influenced many other writers, most notably Edith Wharton. James was the son of Henry James, Sr., a well-known intellectual of his day, and the brother of the philosopher and psychologist William James. Henry is known especially for the novels in which he portrays Americans encountering Europe and Europeans. His style of writing, often verbose and indirect, especially in his later years, can make him difficult to read. Often, too, he often writes from the point of view of characters within a tale, exploring issues related to consciousness and perception. James contributed significantly to literary criticism, especially in his later years when his works were republished with extensive introductions by James. He insisted that writers be allowed the greatest freedom in their writing, and that narrative fiction be true to life, giving readers a view of life that is recognizable. He felt that the only way to judge whether a novel or story is good or bad is by whether the author is good or bad. His imaginative use of point of view, interior monologue, and narrators who were not necessarily reliable, brought depth and interest to his fiction. The Golden Bowl (1904), his most difficult book, was influenced by his play-writing experience, the story told mostly through dialogue. James was a prolific writer. In addition to fiction he published articles, books of travel, autobiography, biography, criticism, and plays. Among his masterpieces are Daisy Miller (1879, The Portrait of a Lady (1881), The Bostonians (1886), What Maisie Knew (1897), The Wings of the Dove (1902), and The Ambassadors (1903). His best known novellas are Washington Square (1881), and The Turn of the Screw (1898).

About the author

JOSEPH COWLEY, born October 9, 1923, graduated from Columbia University in 1947, interrupting his academic career to serve two and a half years with the Army Air Force in World War II. The last months were spent as a bombardier with the Eighth Air Force, for which he received a Bronze Star. He earned his M.A. from Columbia in 1948 and taught English at Cornell University before entering sales. Most of his career was spent writing on sales and management for The Research Institute of America. He retired in 1982 to devote himself to his own writing. He is the author of the novels The Chrysanthemum Garden, Home by Seven, Landscape With Figures, Dust Be My Destiny, and The House on Huntington Hills; the plays The Stargazers, Twin Bill, and A Jury of His Peers; two collections of shorter fiction, The Night Billy Was Born and Other Love Stories, and Do You Like It and Other Stories; a biography of John Adams: Architect of Freedom (1735-1826); and, with Robert Weisselberg, The Executive Strategist, An Armchair Guide to Scientific Decision-Making. Recently he has been adapting classics for ESL students, among them: The Kreutzer Sonata by Tolstoy, Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky, The Scarlet Letter by Hawthorne, and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. He collected his favorite writings in The Best of Joseph Cowley as a tribute to his deceased wife. His articles have appeared in trade and science journals such as Jewelers Circular Keystone, Our Army and Popular Mechanics, and his short stories in Prairie Schooner, New-Story, The Maryland Review, Ohio Short Fiction, and other literary magazines. He has been listed in Who's Who, International Who's Who of Writers and Authors, Who's Who in the World, Strathmore's Who's Who, the Cambridge Blue Book, and other volumes. Organizations with which he is or has been associated are Mensa, Great Books, and the Authors Guild of America.

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