The Turn of the Screw and The Aspern Papers (Penguin Classics)
by Henry James
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Read in June, 2007
[This review concerns only The Turn of the Screw; I haven't read The Aspern Papers yet.]
Ok, in order to wrap my mind around this book somewhat, I had to read almost as much material about it as was in it. But now, benefitted by Wikipedia's abbreviated summary of critical responses, by an pertinent excerpt from The Rhetoric of Fiction, and by an extensive 1971 queer-lit-crit interpretation I found online, I can say confidently that The Turn of the Screw is ingenio...more
Ok, in order to wrap my mind around this book somewhat, I had to read almost as much material about it as was in it. But now, benefitted by Wikipedia's abbreviated summary of critical responses, by an pertinent excerpt from The Rhetoric of Fiction, and by an extensive 1971 queer-lit-crit interpretation I found online, I can say confidently that The Turn of the Screw is ingenio...more
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Read in April, 2008
I've read The Turn of the Screw before, many times, and taught it as well. The difference, this time, is I'm teaching it to high school sophomores, so I'm trying to recapture that first-read feeling ... trying to reach back in time and forget that "but what if there are no ghosts" suspicion.
That's hard for me to do. I've been so caught up in the governess-as-repressed-nutcase interpretation for so long, that I can hardly see anything else -- even though I'm thorough...more
That's hard for me to do. I've been so caught up in the governess-as-repressed-nutcase interpretation for so long, that I can hardly see anything else -- even though I'm thorough...more
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Read in March, 2008
recommends it for:
Anyone (come on, only 93 pages!)
"The Aspern Papers" is a short novella set in an evocative 19th century Venice. The plot centers around the ploys of an unnamed narrator, a literary researcher tracing the lost correspondences of famous American poet Jeffrey Aspern. Following Aspern's long-dead trail of letters to one of his former lovers in Venice, the narrator maneuvers to rent a room in her crumbling Venetian palace, with the hope of absconding with the secret papers. The old mistress, now aged and barely able to mo...more
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Read in January, 2008
recommends it for:
Everyone
This is actually a reread for a class I am taking on Henry James and Edith Wharton. Both were prodigious ghost story writers. With Turn of the Screw, which James wrote while living in Rye on the southeast coast of England, so many enigmas are raised the first being is this novella a "ghost story" or is it something else? To complicate matters James (the great artist of complexity) uses the frame story structure, so the reader first has to consider the character of the narrator vi...more
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Expertly plotted and as unsettling as the written word can possibly be, 'The Turn of the Screw' is a rather extraordinary ghost story. But, its extraordinary because James's story favors subtlety and nuance over the cheap terror of modern ghost stories.
'Turn of the Screw' is a rather slow build--a turning of the screw, to borrow the author's phrase. What is amazing about James art is how this slow build crescendos into a delightfully horrific surprise.
I would recommend this to reader...more
'Turn of the Screw' is a rather slow build--a turning of the screw, to borrow the author's phrase. What is amazing about James art is how this slow build crescendos into a delightfully horrific surprise.
I would recommend this to reader...more
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Read in June, 2007
The desperate maneuver to pin down and “solve” the problem of human ambiguity is taken again and again by James’s unreliable narrators, often with disastrous consequences. James, however, as a consummate Realist author, appears to see the ambiguity that defines behavior and identity as something integral to our humanity, the preservation of which is a matter of the utmost moral importance. Highly recommend Aspern Papers, Turn of the Screw and Daisy Miller as well--
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Read in September, 2006
Having grabbed this book for The Turn of the Screw', I was surprised by the end to have enjoyed 'The Aspern Papers' much more. Maybe my enjoyment was ruined by the foreword which discussed some of the psychosexual &c. interpretations of 'Turn', but I found that the latter tale was much more satisfying. I normally like a measure of ambiguity, so perhaps knowing ahead of time some of the vast array of lit. crit. ink spilled on 'Turn' kept me from fully getting into it.
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So far I've read the Aspern Papers in this volume; The Turn of the Screw is on the syllabus for later this semester. I loved the ending. I think James maneuvers characters skillfully, transforming their roles and relationships to one another from line to line, reinterpreting them in light of other characters, and recasting them as themselves. I was interested in the use of first person narrative in this story, something I hadn't encountered yet in James' fiction.
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I had read Turn of the Screw before, and liked it, but I bought it in a version that included The Aspern Papers while I was in Israel, and I REALLY liked The Aspern Papers--it was kind of predictable, but still funny and atmosperic. As for Turn of the Screw, I enjoyed it, but it is one of those rare books, particularly rare among classics, that is not as good as the movie. The movie version to which I refer of course being The Innocents with Deborah Kerr.
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recommends it for:
Kate Bush
Naturally, as a performer and fan of Benjamin Britten's operas, The Turn of the Screw was required reading. Chilling and atmospheric, it's clear why this novella has inspired so many other artists (including Kate Bush - the greatest of them all). The Aspern Papers is kind of not everyone's first novel on their list of favourite Henry James, but it is so bursting with detail and finely tuned characterisations, that I think it should be read more.
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James' classic "ghost story" turns the genre into pure psychological drama, and the narrative's refusal to reveal itself simply and finally as EITHER a tale of paranormal goings-on OR the memoir of a delusional young woman rewards many, many rereadings. A perfectly constructed tale, a great brain-teaser in James' pristine prose, not to mention a perfectly fun read on a foggy autumn night -- a classic that deserves the title.
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The Turn of the Screw: James nil - Poe -1. Not nearly half as good as most of Poe's tales of mystery and imagination. However, where Poe hits and misses, James as always hits the target - lovers of suspense will like this story.
The Aspern Papers: Quite entertaining - James does a splending job of setting the stage and painting pictures in your imagination.
The Aspern Papers: Quite entertaining - James does a splending job of setting the stage and painting pictures in your imagination.
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Read in January, 2006
Loved it, loved it, loved it. The Aspern Papers, about a man obsessed with obtaining the papers of a deceased writer (for whom he is the biographer) which are held by a bitter old woman and her beautiful young niece. What lengths will the man go to get these papers? You must read to find out. Suspenseful, fantastic.
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It's time for my annual Halloween reading of The Turn of The Screw, one of the best, and most frightening ghost stories I've had the pleasure of reading. I think this edition really adds something... the kids on the cover of the Penguin Classics book are just so freakin creepy, they set the mood well.
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Read in January, 2004
While I love The Turn of the Screw, I have to admit that I had a harder time getting into (and staying interested in) The Aspern Papers. I would recommend a different edition because of that reason.
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I just saw The Innocentsand even though this film pales in comparison to the story (Turn of the Screw), it reminded me that this story is so very good; I shall have to read it again soon.
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Why, oh why cannot I get through this book? Many attempts and as many failures. I get about a page and a half into "Turn of the Screw" and my brain goes to mush. Maybe there's a curse upon me...
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If you like creepy children, you will like this book. It is great! Pretty scary but not in-your-face scary, very subtle but effective.
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Excellent read and there is an old black and white movie that is based off the book , that still creeps me out.
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Read in October, 2007
recommends it for:
people that get scared by words.
The end was horrifying. I've never been scared by a book before, but this took the goddamn tea cake.
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