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The Point Of View
If I felt far away from you in the middle of that deplorable Atlantic, chere Madame, how do I feel now, in the heart of this extraordinary city? We have arrived, --we have arrived, dear friend; but I don't know whether to tell you that I consider that an advantage. If we had been given our choice of coming safely to land or going down to the bottom of the sea, I should doubtless have chosen the former course
40 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1882
About the author
Henry James
4,713 books4,135 followersHenry James was an American-British author. He is regarded as a key transitional figure between literary realism and literary modernism, and is considered by many to be among the greatest novelists in the English language. He was the son of Henry James Sr. and the brother of philosopher and psychologist William James and diarist Alice James.
He is best known for his novels dealing with the social and marital interplay between émigré Americans, the English, and continental Europeans, such as The Portrait of a Lady. His later works, such as The Ambassadors, The Wings of the Dove and The Golden Bowl were increasingly experimental. In describing the internal states of mind and social dynamics of his characters, James often wrote in a style in which ambiguous or contradictory motives and impressions were overlaid or juxtaposed in the discussion of a character's psyche. For their unique ambiguity, as well as for other aspects of their composition, his late works have been compared to Impressionist painting.
His novella The Turn of the Screw has garnered a reputation as the most analysed and ambiguous ghost story in the English language and remains his most widely adapted work in other media. He wrote other highly regarded ghost stories, such as "The Jolly Corner".
James published articles and books of criticism, travel, biography, autobiography, and plays. Born in the United States, James largely relocated to Europe as a young man, and eventually settled in England, becoming a British citizen in 1915, a year before his death. James was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1911, 1912, and 1916. Jorge Luis Borges said "I have visited some literatures of East and West; I have compiled an encyclopedic compendium of fantastic literature; I have translated Kafka, Melville, and Bloy; I know of no stranger work than that of Henry James."
He is best known for his novels dealing with the social and marital interplay between émigré Americans, the English, and continental Europeans, such as The Portrait of a Lady. His later works, such as The Ambassadors, The Wings of the Dove and The Golden Bowl were increasingly experimental. In describing the internal states of mind and social dynamics of his characters, James often wrote in a style in which ambiguous or contradictory motives and impressions were overlaid or juxtaposed in the discussion of a character's psyche. For their unique ambiguity, as well as for other aspects of their composition, his late works have been compared to Impressionist painting.
His novella The Turn of the Screw has garnered a reputation as the most analysed and ambiguous ghost story in the English language and remains his most widely adapted work in other media. He wrote other highly regarded ghost stories, such as "The Jolly Corner".
James published articles and books of criticism, travel, biography, autobiography, and plays. Born in the United States, James largely relocated to Europe as a young man, and eventually settled in England, becoming a British citizen in 1915, a year before his death. James was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1911, 1912, and 1916. Jorge Luis Borges said "I have visited some literatures of East and West; I have compiled an encyclopedic compendium of fantastic literature; I have translated Kafka, Melville, and Bloy; I know of no stranger work than that of Henry James."
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 16, 2022
'I have been so pinched and pushed- morally speaking, bien entendu !'
I will try to read one of the bigger novels of Henry James this year. May be The Portrait of a Lady. But last year I witnessed his writing in this book. The book is in the form of letters written by various characters. The connectivity has been established by the author in style.
I liked his writing and this book was my coup d'œil into his future readings that I will DO!
I will try to read one of the bigger novels of Henry James this year. May be The Portrait of a Lady. But last year I witnessed his writing in this book. The book is in the form of letters written by various characters. The connectivity has been established by the author in style.
I liked his writing and this book was my coup d'œil into his future readings that I will DO!
May 23, 2026
2,5
Ostia quin pal. Llegit pel TFG. Pensava que era teoria i resulta q no. I a sobre el postfaci enlloc de dir coses interessants cau en biografismes.
Ara em toca treure’n ami alguna cosa, amb lu molt q m agrada q mho expliquin >:(
Ostia quin pal. Llegit pel TFG. Pensava que era teoria i resulta q no. I a sobre el postfaci enlloc de dir coses interessants cau en biografismes.
Ara em toca treure’n ami alguna cosa, amb lu molt q m agrada q mho expliquin >:(
November 5, 2021
La irrelevancia de la humanidad.
August 9, 2026
The Final Manifestation of the Three Dixon Wells has a Hard-On Stories. Relatively Interesting from a Semiotic Viewpoint.
Hard-On # 3 - Adultery!
The plot of this story is thankfully much simpler from a Narrative Viewpoint than the Second of the Dick Has a Hard-On stories. Much to the Reader's Relief.
Literally the First Half of the story concerns VanderPoop stomping around a room Massaging His Enormous Hard-On.....er.....Ego. And He does go on and on, waxing pedanticly about His Amazing Brilliance. Dick just sits there Flaccid, pretending to listen.
The upshot of all Vanderpoop's Verbalage is that His Greatness ponders upon the Question of a Person's Individual Relative Viewpoint of Somebody Else. I.E....It all depends upon a Person's......Point Of View. There are as many Worlds of Reality as there are Points of View. This of course is an early Analysis of Semiotic Theories which were still somewhat in their infancy, and not part of the Mainstream of Scientific Discourse.
So.....VanderPoop now invents The Attitudinizor. A Machine and a Pair of Galasses that allows the Person wearing the glasses to see what Another Person's Point of View is. Thus, if You look at someone who is Looking at You, You can see what their Opinion of You is. Or of Someone else They happen to be looking at.
So.....now the Narrative Progresses. VanderPoop has a shlubby Lab Assitant named Carter who Dick doesn't think much of. VanderPoop also has a Secretary named Miss Lisa Fitch, who is quiet, plain and not particularly attractive. Dick had never even noticed Her, and was definitely not impressed by Her.
But through the Eyes of the Attitudinizor Dick discovers that Carter thinks She is the most godly Venus He has ever set eyes upon. And this makes Dick get stiff.
Soon Dick is in full Hard-On mode and has become Obsessed with Miss Lisa Fitch. He spends night after night in the lab, watching Miss Lisa Fitch through the Eyes of Carter and falling Madly in Lust with Her.
Until VanderPoop puts an end to Dick's Passion by dismantling the Attitudinizor. As VanderPoop so rightly states:
" 'So you've been trying to adopt Carter's viewpoint, eh? No doubt with the idea of ultimately depriving him of the charming Miss Fitch!........Listen to me, Dixon. We will disregard the ethics of the thing and look at it from a purely rational viewpoint, if a rational viewpoint is possible to anybody but van Manderpootz. Don't you realize that in order to attain Carter's attitude toward Fitch, you would have to adopt his entire viewpoint?.....Was his impression of Fitch worth the sacrifice of your own personality?' "
Ah....VanderPoop kind of hit the point right on the head there. Dick had let His obsession with His Hard-On irrationally take over His entire life.....or at least His Rational Point of View.
Dispite My cynical attitude I have to admit that VanderPoop is justly chastising Dick for His actions. Seriously. What was Dick planning to do with that massive Hard-On He had for Miss Lisa Fitch. After all, the reality of the situation is that She had zero interest in Dick as a person. She only had Eyes for Carter.
So in conclusion, Dick gets Cock-Blocked again when VanderPoop sends Carter and Miss Lisa Fitch off the get Married. And Dick once again is left with no one to Love but Himself.
So this is actually not a bad story. A Fun Read. And Vanderpoop's Ego is always something to behold, and in this story, His Massive Ego is on Full Display.
And thus ends the Dixon Wells Has a Hard-On Trilogy.
Hard-On # 3 - Adultery!
The plot of this story is thankfully much simpler from a Narrative Viewpoint than the Second of the Dick Has a Hard-On stories. Much to the Reader's Relief.
Literally the First Half of the story concerns VanderPoop stomping around a room Massaging His Enormous Hard-On.....er.....Ego. And He does go on and on, waxing pedanticly about His Amazing Brilliance. Dick just sits there Flaccid, pretending to listen.
The upshot of all Vanderpoop's Verbalage is that His Greatness ponders upon the Question of a Person's Individual Relative Viewpoint of Somebody Else. I.E....It all depends upon a Person's......Point Of View. There are as many Worlds of Reality as there are Points of View. This of course is an early Analysis of Semiotic Theories which were still somewhat in their infancy, and not part of the Mainstream of Scientific Discourse.
So.....VanderPoop now invents The Attitudinizor. A Machine and a Pair of Galasses that allows the Person wearing the glasses to see what Another Person's Point of View is. Thus, if You look at someone who is Looking at You, You can see what their Opinion of You is. Or of Someone else They happen to be looking at.
So.....now the Narrative Progresses. VanderPoop has a shlubby Lab Assitant named Carter who Dick doesn't think much of. VanderPoop also has a Secretary named Miss Lisa Fitch, who is quiet, plain and not particularly attractive. Dick had never even noticed Her, and was definitely not impressed by Her.
But through the Eyes of the Attitudinizor Dick discovers that Carter thinks She is the most godly Venus He has ever set eyes upon. And this makes Dick get stiff.
Soon Dick is in full Hard-On mode and has become Obsessed with Miss Lisa Fitch. He spends night after night in the lab, watching Miss Lisa Fitch through the Eyes of Carter and falling Madly in Lust with Her.
Until VanderPoop puts an end to Dick's Passion by dismantling the Attitudinizor. As VanderPoop so rightly states:
" 'So you've been trying to adopt Carter's viewpoint, eh? No doubt with the idea of ultimately depriving him of the charming Miss Fitch!........Listen to me, Dixon. We will disregard the ethics of the thing and look at it from a purely rational viewpoint, if a rational viewpoint is possible to anybody but van Manderpootz. Don't you realize that in order to attain Carter's attitude toward Fitch, you would have to adopt his entire viewpoint?.....Was his impression of Fitch worth the sacrifice of your own personality?' "
Ah....VanderPoop kind of hit the point right on the head there. Dick had let His obsession with His Hard-On irrationally take over His entire life.....or at least His Rational Point of View.
Dispite My cynical attitude I have to admit that VanderPoop is justly chastising Dick for His actions. Seriously. What was Dick planning to do with that massive Hard-On He had for Miss Lisa Fitch. After all, the reality of the situation is that She had zero interest in Dick as a person. She only had Eyes for Carter.
So in conclusion, Dick gets Cock-Blocked again when VanderPoop sends Carter and Miss Lisa Fitch off the get Married. And Dick once again is left with no one to Love but Himself.
So this is actually not a bad story. A Fun Read. And Vanderpoop's Ego is always something to behold, and in this story, His Massive Ego is on Full Display.
And thus ends the Dixon Wells Has a Hard-On Trilogy.
September 10, 2019
Estoy de vacaciones, así que esta semana voy a intentar leer bastante.
Una novelita de Henry James podría ser la mejor novela de un escritor cualunque.
En esta, un grupo de cartas de extranjeros de visita en Estados Unidos y norteamericanos que vuelven a casa, pintan un fresco de lo que significaban en la cabeza de James, Estados Unidos y Europa. El primero, sin herencia, una tierra vacía, en progreso, floreciente democracia, tierra de oportunidad, gris igualdad. En la segunda, la decadencia, la patina gastada, las reliquias, los modales, los reyes, los museos.
En el medio hay un triángulo amoroso que es superfluo a lo importante del texto: la estilizada construcción de las frases, la visión de James, profética, y esa cosa florida de señora elegante que es muy atractiva y de buen gusto.
"El privilegio de la indiferencia es el más preciado que poseemos, y sostengo que reconocemos a las personas inteligentes por el uso que hacen de él".
"En cuanto a los tipos, son todas variaciones de lo mismo -pero hay sólo uno-: el viajante de comercio, pero sin alegría".
"El pueblo es aquí más consciente de las cosas: inventa, acciona, responde por sí mismo, no está atado (hablo de cuestiones sociales) por la autoridad y la jerarquía. Poco a poco, tendremos todos los Tizianos y nos traeremos varias catedrales".
Una novelita de Henry James podría ser la mejor novela de un escritor cualunque.
En esta, un grupo de cartas de extranjeros de visita en Estados Unidos y norteamericanos que vuelven a casa, pintan un fresco de lo que significaban en la cabeza de James, Estados Unidos y Europa. El primero, sin herencia, una tierra vacía, en progreso, floreciente democracia, tierra de oportunidad, gris igualdad. En la segunda, la decadencia, la patina gastada, las reliquias, los modales, los reyes, los museos.
En el medio hay un triángulo amoroso que es superfluo a lo importante del texto: la estilizada construcción de las frases, la visión de James, profética, y esa cosa florida de señora elegante que es muy atractiva y de buen gusto.
"El privilegio de la indiferencia es el más preciado que poseemos, y sostengo que reconocemos a las personas inteligentes por el uso que hacen de él".
"En cuanto a los tipos, son todas variaciones de lo mismo -pero hay sólo uno-: el viajante de comercio, pero sin alegría".
"El pueblo es aquí más consciente de las cosas: inventa, acciona, responde por sí mismo, no está atado (hablo de cuestiones sociales) por la autoridad y la jerarquía. Poco a poco, tendremos todos los Tizianos y nos traeremos varias catedrales".
January 19, 2025
En la obra de James se refleja un conflicto constante entre su identidad estadounidense y la adopción de la cultura europea. En este libro esta dicotomía personal se refleja en cartas de ingleses que hablan sobre la cultura "americana" desde distintas perspectivas. Perspectivas superficiales, problemas inventados, pero pertinentes a la época y con personalidades bien desarrolladas.
January 20, 2026
🙋🏻♀️3,5 ☆
Para ser tan corto, me ha costado un poco seguirlo, pero me ha parecido muy profundo. Cada punto de vista se adentra y desarrolla un tema en particular, formando un verdadero caleidoscopio de diferencias entre el viejo y el nuevo mundo.
Como se dice en sus páginas: “Cada mirada abre un mundo distinto, y juntos forman el mapa de nuestra diversidad”
Para ser tan corto, me ha costado un poco seguirlo, pero me ha parecido muy profundo. Cada punto de vista se adentra y desarrolla un tema en particular, formando un verdadero caleidoscopio de diferencias entre el viejo y el nuevo mundo.
Como se dice en sus páginas: “Cada mirada abre un mundo distinto, y juntos forman el mapa de nuestra diversidad”
December 27, 2015
This short story comprised of several letters by people who are familiarly or loosely connected, all through their individual views on America. James mastered the individual voices, from the coquettish brightness of girls on the hunt for new adventures, to churlish Frenchman bemoaning of everything coarse and rude in a new country. For a few brief pages, we inhabited in the mental worlds of drastically different people. But this is an unsatisfactory story, at times gratingly tiresome, in this reader's estimate, serves an excellent etude in personality sketch but failed as a coherent whole.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews