Getting into something like a Henry James phase now. Not read much of him before—besides “The Turn of the Screw”—but quickly devoured Washington Square and “The Lesson of the Master.” Now trying to read a collection of his short stories (which are still pretty long) before moving on to one of his bigger novels. Found myself baffled by The Ambassadors when I tried to read it a while ago, so the goal is to work up to that.
One complaint about James though—well, okay, I have more than one. But here’s the most superficial: why do so many editions of his books have his picture on the front? I don’t mean to belittle him here, but it’s a bit disconcerting to be reading a book in bed, put it on the nightstand, go to sleep, wake up later to go to the bathroom, lean over to turn on the light, and have the first thing you see be this ghoul’s face?
