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Henry James (1843--1916), the younger brother of the psychologist William James and one of the greatest of American writers, was born in New York but lived for most of his life in England. Among the best known of his many stories and novels are The Portrait of a Lady, The Turn of the Screw, and The Wings of the Dove. In addition to The New York Stories of Henry James, New York Review Classics has published several long-unavailable James novels: The Other House, The Outcry, and The Ivory Tower. Alan Hollinghurst was born in 1954 in Gloucestershire, England, and attended Magdalen College, Oxford. He is the author of the novels The Swimming-Pool Library, The Folding Star (shortlisted for the Booker Prize), The Spell, and the forthcoming The Line of Beauty, as well as of a translation of the play Bajazet by Racine. A former staff member at The Times Literary Supplement, Hollinghurst is a frequent contributor to that and other publications, including The Guardian. Hollinghurst's fourth novel, The Line of Beauty, won the Man Booker Prize in 2004. He lives in London.
The competed section of James' last novel, consisting of three books and the beginning of the forth, is a raw diamond. In his uniquely stylized way, he introduces the intrigue conceived in two wealthy businessman's testaments; one leaves his money to his daughter, his rival strategically to his nephew. Rosanna and Graham, school time friends, both foresee the 'money curse' predicament, and begin their divinely sophisticated rebellion. Has the book been finished, how would their relationship, as well as the net of relationships around them develop in this, as Graham calls it 'so hideously rich', early twentieth century American society? The extraordinary comprehensive treatment that follows, never intended for publication, not only satisfies the enquiring mind of the reader, it also feels like being invited within the intimate thoughts of a genius James was. Complete with a beautiful and informative introduction by Alan Hollinghurst, where we find out why this book was almost never written, and an essay by Ezra Pound on why 'Notes for the Ivory Tower', is a universal formula for building a novel, this is a truly exquisite read. (Kirkus UK)
