In the Cage (Hesperus Classics) [Paperback]

Henry James (Author), Libby Purves (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2002 | Series: Hesperus Classics

In this small masterpiece of unrequited love, Henry James, as in his greatest novels, depicts a moral consciousness torn between emotional impulses and the demands of society. Working in a post office in Mayfair, a young woman is exposed to the cryptic but alluring correspondence of the social elite, and in particular, to lines written by the dashing Captain Everard. As she memorizes the messages he telegraphs, she becomes increasingly attracted to the life described to her, fixated by scandal and gossip a world apart from her ordinary existence.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Here is the rueful mystery of human desire and human resignation, in the person of an anonymous telegraph girl. She is no saint, but she is certainly a sister' - Libby Purves

From the Publisher

Hesperus Press, as suggested by their Latin motto, Et remotissima prope, is dedicated to bringing near what is far—far both in space and time. Works by illustrious authors, often unjustly neglected or simply little known in the English–speaking world, are made accessible through a completely fresh editorial approach or new translations. Through these short classic works, which feature forewords by leading contemporary authors, the modern reader will be introduced to the greatest writers of Europe and America. An elegantly designed series of exceptional books.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Hesperus Press (November 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 184391025X
• ISBN-13: 978-1843910251
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 4.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,658,097 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Henry James (1843-1916), the son of the religious philosopher Henry James Sr. and brother of the psychologist and philosopher William James, published many important novels including Daisy Miller, The Wings of the Dove, The Golden Bowl, and The Ambassadors.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Another example of art imitating life., May 27, 2003

By 

haley (athens, ga) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Cage (Hesperus Classics) (Paperback)

I was required to read this book for my American Lit class in college, and though I had heard that James was a bit verbose and that the plot of the novel was purportedly about the life of a telegraph-girl, I nevertheless enjoyed it thoroughly. The novel centers on a young girl who works at the sounding board of an English store. Because she is the main operator, she is privy to all of the customer's private affairs, for she transcribes all of their personal notes. Some of her insights regarding relationships and the often-intimate details of her state of mind seemed to articulate some of my own thoughts. The "hook" of the plot(as concern other female-heroines of her time) revolves around her intense fatuation with a male customer, with whom she eventually falls in love. "In the Cage" is taut, well-written, and eerily similar to the trials and tribulations of everyday life in the present era.