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The Golden Bowl
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The Golden Bowl Unknown - 2004

by Henry James, Jr.


About this book

The Golden Bowl, Henry James’ last completed novel, is widely considered to be one of the author’s best works (along with The Ambassadors and The Wings of a Dove). In it, James continues to explore his favored themes of marriage, money, and psychological warfare. The novel, set in England, tells the story of American heiress Maggie Verver, who is engaged to Amerigo, an impoverished Italian prince. Maggie’s father, Adam, travels to London for the wedding and meets Charlotte Stant, a friend of both Maggie and the prince. In a nutshell, The Golden Bowl is about Maggie’s education on marriage, adultery, and the aftermath.

The title of the novel comes from a Biblical passage, Ecclesiastes 12:6-7: "Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern… then shall the dust return to the earth as it was…” The golden bowl, first seen in a London curio shop, is used emblematically throughout the novel.

The Golden Bowl is ranked 32nd on Modern Library’s “100 Best” English-language novels of the 20th century and 36th on The Guardian’s list of the 100 best novels. Adaptations include the highly praised 1972 BBC six-hour-long televised version and the 2000 film directed by James Ivory, starring Uma Thurman, Nick Nolte, Kate Beckinsale, and Jeremy Northam.

From the publisher

The Golden Bowl, Henry James' last completed novel, is a story of the union of European class and American money. American millionaire and widower Adam Verver lives with his daughter Maggie in Europe, where they spend their time collecting object d'art and enjoying each other's company. Maggie becomes engaged to the aristocratic but penniless Amerigo, ignorant of the fact that Amerigo had previously had an affair with her best friend Charlotte. Through the continuing machinations of Fanny Assingham, Maggie's father marries Charlotte, and the stage is set for the ensuing drama to unfold. With Maggie and her father spending a great deal of time together after both are married, it is not long before the spouses have rekindled their previous affair. It is the ugliness of deceit that wounds more than the adultery itself, and as the plot proceeds, we watch as the various characters gradually suspect, then become convinced of the truth.

First Edition Identification

Charles Scribner’s Sons first published The Golden Bowl in New York in December 1904. In a print run of 2,000 copies, the two-volume first edition is bound in brown cloth and has no additional printings listed on the copyright page. 

Details

  • Title The Golden Bowl
  • Author Henry James, Jr.
  • Binding unknown
  • Publisher Toby Press
  • Date January 2004
  • ISBN 9781592640461
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The Golden Bowl
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The Golden Bowl

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The Golden Bowl

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The Golden Bowl

by Henry James, Alide Cagidemetrio (Editor)

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