Washington Square (Recorded Books Edition)

De: Henry James

Narrado por: John McDonough

Henry James’ stories are classic gems of subtle wit and irony. Set in the exacting social landscape of New York City at the turn of the century, Washington Square is the tale of a wealthy but shy young woman caught between conflicting family expectations. John McDonough’s warm narration traces her remarkable inner journey.

Public Domain (P)1997 Recorded Books, LLC

'One of the nicest old ladies I ever met'

On a lifetime goal of reading all the classics and at least one novel by each critically renowned author, I've repeatedly avoided Henry James. I finally started on Washington Square, choosing it primarily because it's the shortest of James' novels.

This is the unhappy story of a rich, controlling, widowed father and his only child, a daughter whom the dad considers unattractive, unintelligent and uninteresting to potential suitors. So when a suitor comes calling at a society party in Washington Square, NYC, and within a few weeks asks the daughter to marry, the father suspects monetary motives. After some investigation, the father forbids the marriage, else he'll disinherit the daughter. To say any more would ruin for you a story that's already both passionless and soporific, with characters so brittle that I could not care much about what happened to them in any event.

I no longer think William Faulkner was being unkind when he described James as "one of the nicest old ladies I ever met." Though I do believe President Teddy Roosevelt was overly cruel in labeling Henry James as "a little emasculated mass of inanity."

The narrator's performance was about as lackluster as the story.

Great Listen

Listened to the whole book in one day. I couldn't put it down until finished.

Lackluster narration

I love Henry James but the story line in this novel has none of the relational complexity of his other novels. And the lackluster narration doesn’t help. It’s not a great listen.

if you are going to be pushed you had better jump

“if you are going to be pushed you had better jump”
― Henry James, Washington Square

In the spirit of Jane Austin or Brontë, Henry James gets his family love drama on. Washinton Square slowly unfolds the story of simple Catherine's romance with Morris Townsend. Set against this ill-fated relationship is simple Catherine's brilliant but cold father who suspects Morris Townsend of mercenary designs on simple Catherine's fortune (from her mother and eventually from him). Working to fascilitate this relationship is simple Catherine's aunt Lavinia, and Dr. Sloper's sister, who is romantic in her view of Morris Townsend, despite her brother's suspicions.

The novel, at its core, suspends simple Catherine between the judgement of her father and the narcissim of Morris Townsend. Trapped, Henry James gives her only one simple way of escape -- growth.

The narrative is straight. The prose is clean. It isn't the greatest James novel I've read so far, but it is still fascinating in its clarity and its power. I didn't like Dr. Sloper, but I respected him. Lavinia irritated me. Simple Catherine grew on my throughout the novel. And, as a father of a daughter, I couldn't view Morris Townsend with anything BUT contempt.

Henry James is a hoot

What did you love best about Washington Square (Recorded Books Edition)?

This edition brought out the deep and sly humour in this an early work of the master.

What other book might you compare Washington Square (Recorded Books Edition) to and why?

can't think

Have you listened to any of John McDonough’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes, he is the perfect reader for James. He has an old New England voice which gets the pronouncation of the vowels perfectly. A male Katherine Hepburn

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

A bit long, but I would if I could

Any additional comments?

This reading really brings alive an amusing tale by a master storyteller