The Figure in the Carpet and Other Stories (Penguin Classics) [Paperback]

Henry James (Author), Frank Kermode (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 5, 1986 | Series: Penguin Classics

The stories in this collection were written mostly between 1888 and 1897, a time when Henry James's writing was concerned with the art of fiction and the position of the artist in society. The motif and title story, "The Figure and the Carpet" is an inspired joke, a masterpiece of double-entendre that demands the reader's undivided love and attention and continues to baffle its critics. Also included are "The Author of Beltraffio", an absorbing story of family infighting, authorship and tragedy, and "The Private Life", a spirited tale that considers the contrast between the artist alone and at work. While many of these stories appear to be elaborate Jamesian games, all employ irony and humour to allegorize artistic creation.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Henry James (1843-1916) American-born writer, gifted with talents in literature, psychology, and philosophy. James wrote 20 novels, 112 stories, 12 plays and a number of literary criticism. His models were Dickens, Balzac, and Hawthorne.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Classics (August 5, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140432558
• ISBN-13: 978-0140432558
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #774,778 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

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well written, February 22, 2011

By 

Roy Schlegel - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Figure in the Carpet (Kindle Edition)

First of all, I think this Kindle edition is cleaned up--there isn't any introduction and there aren't any misplaced pages. Also use of the dictionary is necessary to understand the story.

That said, I'm glad I didn't stop reading when I first became irritated with the writing, because the irritation was intentional on the part of Mr. James. This is a very well-written piece about critics and how they must have irritated Henry James to no end. I read it through a second time to thoroughly understand the main character and how he related to others. It also has me stop to think about writing reviews myself and what biases I might be bringing to what I'm reading. If you take this one on, listen to the narrator's voice and hear how he may sound to his friends and acquaintances, those he criticizes, and how he perceives himself. A worthwhile read.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good selection; Kindle version mixes up pages, September 29, 2010

By 

James M. Rawley - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Figure in the Carpet and Other Stories (Penguin Classics) (Kindle Edition)

The Kindle version of this Penguin book mixes up pages near the beginning, so that we get two or three pages of James's introduction to "The Death of the Lion" interrupted by Frank Kermode's Note on the Texts, which is itself printed with its second half first and first half buried in James's introduction's second half.

It's easy to figure out what's happening and live with it, but oh when will Kindle publishers start taking even the most elementary care of their products? Penguin has a reputation to consider, after all.

The selection is good and Kermode's introduction is thorough and intelligent. The stories are all about writers and their problems with the public, with editors, and with their own works. It's ironic that such a collection should be partly ruined by sloppy commercial publishing.