Book description
Published in 1886, The Bostonians begins with the arrival in Boston
of Basil Ransom, a young Mississippi lawyer in search of a career.
Through his cousin, Olive Chancellor, Ransom comes to meet Verena, the
beautiful daughter of a charlatan faith-healer and showman. When they
hear Verena talk, Olive hopes to win the girl over to the feminist
cause, Ransom is attracted to her looks, and a battle for possession
of the girl begins.
With its discussion of the situation of women and its uncompromising
depiction of the city and the media, THE BOSTONIANS is a modern novel
which is immediately accessible and relevant today.
Henry James (1843-1916) was born in New York and settled in Europe
in 1875. He was a regular contributor of reviews, critical essays, and
short stories to American periodicals. He is best known for his many
novels of American and European character.
Richard Lansdown is a Lecturer in English at James Cook University
in Queensland Australia.
