Other editions of book The Europeans: A Sketch

The Europeans seems indeed to be merely "a sketch", a practice piece, worth reading only for James's masterly prose and for occasional sparkles of wit. Or perhaps it should be taken as James's effort to 'cash in' on the perennial market for romance novels for women readers, a market that was a lucrative in the 19th C as it remains today. That latter interpretation, I confess, is hindered by the absence of passion exhibited in any the four entangled 'love stories' of the narration. Marriages do occur eventually; I hope that's not too much of a spoiler, since I won't disclose how many or whom.One could also interpret The Europeans as a study of miscommunication. The title characters, a sister and brother whose mother was American but who have 'grown up' as thorough Europeans, come to visit their American cousins whom they've never met or known, who live quiet, sober lives in a Massachusetts village. The reader is 'encouraged' to suppose that the sister is both fleeing a milieu in Europe that has gone sour and seeking a 'fortunate' matrimonial opportunity. The American cousins and their social set are people of substantial means and insubstantial culture. Perplexed in every way by the arrival of such exotic relatives, nonetheless they generously welcome the travelers into their quaint puritanical family circle. What ensues is a minuet of misperceptions and miscues.James seems to have learned a good deal about the structural mechanics of novel-writing in the short time between "The American" and "The Europeans". Whereas in the former, he sometimes labors over describing a character in excessive external detail, in the latter he allows his characters to portray themselves through actions and dialogue. It's a subtler style of narrative, on a par with the polished best of Jane Austen or George Eliot. But of course the 19th C British 'novel of manners' was the model of all of Henry James's novels, a form he never abandoned. It's also quite plausible that James consciously intended "The Europeans" as a sequel to "The American," a thematic coda. It's not as exciting or insightful as its immediate predecessor, and it's barely a prophecy of the brilliance James would soon achieve in "The Bostonians". But it's too artfully written not to be entertaining as a display of craft.

*This Book is annotated (it contains a detailed biography of the author). *An active Table of Contents has been added by the publisher for a better customer experience. *This book has been checked and corrected for spelling errors. The Europeans: A sketch is a short novel by Henry James, published in 1878. It is essentially a comedy contrasting the behaviour and attitudes of two visitors from Europe with those of their relatives living in the 'new' world of New England. The novel first appeared as a serial in The Atlantic Monthly for July–October 1878. James made numerous minor revisions for the first book publication.

"The Europeans", Henry James's novel of conflicting attitudes between Europeans and Americans was first serialized in The Atlantic Monthly in 1878. It is the story of Eugenia Munster and Felix Young, two siblings who while born in America have grown up in Europe. The two travel to Boston and there they experience a society much different from the one they have previously known.

The Europeans by Henry James tells the tale of two European siblings shifting from the old to the new world. Eugenia Munster and Felix Young, since their early childhood, have lived in Europe, moving from France to Italy and from Spain to Germany. A classic tale, one of Henry James's finest works. Any profits generated from the sale of this book will go towards the Freeriver Community project, a project designed to promote harmonious community living and well-being in the world. To learn more about the Freeriver project please visit the website - www.freerivercommunity.com

Eugenia, a baroness divorced from a German prince, and her bohemian brother, Felix, are coming back to America. Raised and cultured in Europe, they are returning destitute to New England to seek out their rich and innocent cousins. Eugenia wins the attentions of Robert Acton, the most appropriate suitor in the area, while also seducing her younger cousin, Clifford. But her foreign gentility and audacity confuse the puritanical customs of the New World. On the other hand, Felix's luxurious romantic ways find acceptance with the American women. But misunderstandings of a different kind complicate his plans. In a bungle of culture clash and love triangles, the Europeans hang their fortunes upon their ability to adapt. Where their scheming leads them is the last place they expect.

Although Henry James was himself none too fond of 'The Europeans', the novel has nevertheless proved to be a firm favourite with readers ever since its publication in 1878. The juxtaposition of two cultures with their differing values and expectations was fertile ground for James' comic genius, and he uses the varied interplay of characters to poke fun at the social mores of the day while at the same time attempting a more serious critique of New England society.

The tale opens in Boston in the middle of the 19th century, and describes the experiences of two European siblings shifting from the old to the new world. Eugenia Münster and Felix Young since their early childhood have lived in Europe, moving from France to Italy and from Spain to Germany. In this last place, Eugenia entered into a Morganatic marriage with Prince Adolf of Silberstadt-Schreckenstein, the younger brother of the reigning prince who is now being urged by his family to dissolve the marriage for political reasons. Because of this, Eugenia and Felix decide to travel to America to meet their distant cousins, so that Eugenia may "seek her fortune" in the form of a wealthy American husband.

Henry James was an American-born British writer who became one of the most influential writers and critics of the late 19th century, particularly in regard to the literary movement known as Realism. A forerunner of writers like James Joyce, much of Henry James' works were written from the point of view of a character in the book, and many of his titles, including Daisy Miller, The Portrait of a Lady, and The Turn of the Screw, are all widely read and remain popular today. While novels like The American and The Ambassadors explore an American's trip to Europe, The Europeans looks at the reverse, with Europeans coming to visit relatives in New England. The Europeans is a comedy, making it one of James' lighter works.