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A Little Swiss Sojourn
Reproduction of the A Little Swiss Sojourn by William Dean Howells
48 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1892
About the author
William Dean Howells
1,303 books105 followersWillam Dean Howells (1837-1920) was a novelist, short story writer, magazine editor, and mentor who wrote for various magazines, including the Atlantic Monthly and Harper's Magazine.
In January 1866 James Fields offered him the assistant editor role at the Atlantic Monthly. Howells accepted after successfully negotiating for a higher salary, but was frustrated by Fields's close supervision. Howells was made editor in 1871, remaining in the position until 1881.
In 1869 he first met Mark Twain, which began a longtime friendship. Even more important for the development of his literary style — his advocacy of Realism — was his relationship with the journalist Jonathan Baxter Harrison, who during the 1870s wrote a series of articles for the Atlantic Monthly on the lives of ordinary Americans.
He wrote his first novel, Their Wedding Journey, in 1872, but his literary reputation took off with the realist novel A Modern Instance, published in 1882, which described the decay of a marriage. His 1885 novel The Rise of Silas Lapham is perhaps his best known, describing the rise and fall of an American entrepreneur of the paint business. His social views were also strongly represented in the novels Annie Kilburn (1888), A Hazard of New Fortunes (1890), and An Imperative Duty (1892). He was particularly outraged by the trials resulting from the Haymarket Riot.
His poems were collected during 1873 and 1886, and a volume under the title Stops of Various Quills was published during 1895. He was the initiator of the school of American realists who derived, through the Russians, from Balzac and had little sympathy with any other type of fiction, although he frequently encouraged new writers in whom he discovered new ideas.
Howells also wrote plays, criticism, and essays about contemporary literary figures such as Henrik Ibsen, Émile Zola, Giovanni Verga, Benito Pérez Galdós, and, especially, Leo Tolstoy, which helped establish their reputations in the United States. He also wrote critically in support of American writers Hamlin Garland, Stephen Crane, Emily Dickinson, Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Sarah Orne Jewett, Charles W. Chesnutt, Abraham Cahan, Madison Cawein,and Frank Norris. It is perhaps in this role that he had his greatest influence. In his "Editor's Study" column at the Atlantic Monthly and, later, at Harper's, he formulated and disseminated his theories of "realism" in literature.
In 1904 he was one of the first seven people chosen for membership in the American Academy of Arts and Letters, of which he became president.
Howells died in Manhattan on May 11, 1920. He was buried in Cambridge Cemetery in Massachusetts.
Noting the "documentary" and truthful value of Howells' work, Henry James wrote: "Stroke by stroke and book by book your work was to become, for this exquisite notation of our whole democratic light and shade and give and take, in the highest degree documentary."
In January 1866 James Fields offered him the assistant editor role at the Atlantic Monthly. Howells accepted after successfully negotiating for a higher salary, but was frustrated by Fields's close supervision. Howells was made editor in 1871, remaining in the position until 1881.
In 1869 he first met Mark Twain, which began a longtime friendship. Even more important for the development of his literary style — his advocacy of Realism — was his relationship with the journalist Jonathan Baxter Harrison, who during the 1870s wrote a series of articles for the Atlantic Monthly on the lives of ordinary Americans.
He wrote his first novel, Their Wedding Journey, in 1872, but his literary reputation took off with the realist novel A Modern Instance, published in 1882, which described the decay of a marriage. His 1885 novel The Rise of Silas Lapham is perhaps his best known, describing the rise and fall of an American entrepreneur of the paint business. His social views were also strongly represented in the novels Annie Kilburn (1888), A Hazard of New Fortunes (1890), and An Imperative Duty (1892). He was particularly outraged by the trials resulting from the Haymarket Riot.
His poems were collected during 1873 and 1886, and a volume under the title Stops of Various Quills was published during 1895. He was the initiator of the school of American realists who derived, through the Russians, from Balzac and had little sympathy with any other type of fiction, although he frequently encouraged new writers in whom he discovered new ideas.
Howells also wrote plays, criticism, and essays about contemporary literary figures such as Henrik Ibsen, Émile Zola, Giovanni Verga, Benito Pérez Galdós, and, especially, Leo Tolstoy, which helped establish their reputations in the United States. He also wrote critically in support of American writers Hamlin Garland, Stephen Crane, Emily Dickinson, Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Sarah Orne Jewett, Charles W. Chesnutt, Abraham Cahan, Madison Cawein,and Frank Norris. It is perhaps in this role that he had his greatest influence. In his "Editor's Study" column at the Atlantic Monthly and, later, at Harper's, he formulated and disseminated his theories of "realism" in literature.
In 1904 he was one of the first seven people chosen for membership in the American Academy of Arts and Letters, of which he became president.
Howells died in Manhattan on May 11, 1920. He was buried in Cambridge Cemetery in Massachusetts.
Noting the "documentary" and truthful value of Howells' work, Henry James wrote: "Stroke by stroke and book by book your work was to become, for this exquisite notation of our whole democratic light and shade and give and take, in the highest degree documentary."
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 12, 2023
I didn’t find Howells’ Swiss travel book particularly inspired. He was known as an American realist in mid-nineteenth century literature. His friends were eminent, mostly the Boston Brahmin sort. Journalism, novels and travel books were his game.
This book talks about the two months he spent with his family in a pension in the Canton of Vaud. Castles (Chillon was practically next door), small churches and landscape get very brief treatment. He has the typical but fairly good natured prejudices of his time, often comparing the locals to New Englanders. The locals are usually viewed as sullen and unattractive (the girls have fat calves), the freshly crushed grapes they are offered are declined after looking at the manure on the shoes of the grape workers.
This book talks about the two months he spent with his family in a pension in the Canton of Vaud. Castles (Chillon was practically next door), small churches and landscape get very brief treatment. He has the typical but fairly good natured prejudices of his time, often comparing the locals to New Englanders. The locals are usually viewed as sullen and unattractive (the girls have fat calves), the freshly crushed grapes they are offered are declined after looking at the manure on the shoes of the grape workers.
December 19, 2021
I don’t know how I found this book but was attracted to it because many years ago I had travelled in this same region of Switzerland. It was interesting but had a soporific quality which I found useful when sleep eluded me at two in the morning.
The author is quite descriptive of landscapes and people and throws in some history for good measure. He is definite in his assessment of different nationalities which comes across as prejudice but may just be of his time.
I’ll look for other works by this author to help with insomnia. I may yet sleep my way through Europe.
The author is quite descriptive of landscapes and people and throws in some history for good measure. He is definite in his assessment of different nationalities which comes across as prejudice but may just be of his time.
I’ll look for other works by this author to help with insomnia. I may yet sleep my way through Europe.
December 13, 2017
3.25 stars (liked it)
An 1893 travel essay of the author's extended visit to the Swiss village of Villeneuve, including its beautiful landscape, notable events in history, and landmarks of interest.
An 1893 travel essay of the author's extended visit to the Swiss village of Villeneuve, including its beautiful landscape, notable events in history, and landmarks of interest.
June 15, 2025
Nothing noteworthy for one's bildung, as they might have said at the time in Zurich, but a pleasant recounting just as signaled by the title. For an entertaining read on Americans abroad in the late 19th century, nothing excels Mark Twain.
June 23, 2017
To the review of the edition, I only add that the narrator reads the text (English and occasionally some French and German) with a good expressive voice.
July 16, 2016
A good description of Switzerland with a touch of humour.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews