Italian Hours
by Henry James
'Italian Hours' Summary
Italian Hours ends with the phrase, "the luxury of loving Italy," and everything in the book indicates that James enjoyed this luxury to the fullest. But he was by no means a blind lover. His opening essay on Venice, for instance, doesn't gloss over the sad conditions of life for the city's people: "Their habitations are decayed; their taxes heavy; their pockets light; their opportunities few."
Still, James goes on to sketch enough of the beauty of Venice to make it seem a fair compensation. Throughout the book he constantly comes back to the beauty and amenity of Italian life, despite the all too frequent material shortcomings. Venice and Rome get the most extended treatment, but James doesn't neglect the rest of the country. His Roman essays, though, show the strongest touch of his own experiences, especially his long rides on horseback through the Campagna and his many walks through various neighborhoods in the city.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
EnglishPublished In
1909Author
Henry James
America, Britain
Henry James was born in New York City on April 15, 1843, into a wealthy and intellectually stimulating family. His father, Henry James Sr., was a Swedenborgian philosopher and his mother, Mary Roberts...
More on Henry JamesDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books
Rambles in New Zealand by John Carne Bidwill
In this, Bidwill shares his experiences of exploring the country's vast wilderness, including the rugged mountains, dense forests, and pristine rivers...
An Account of Egypt by Herodotus by Herodotus of Halicarnassus
HERODOTUS was born at Halicarnassus, on the southwest coast of Asia Minor, in the early part of the fifth century, B. C. Of his life we know almost no...
Across Mongolian Plains: A Naturalist's Account of China's 'Great Northwest' by Roy Chapman Andrews
An account of a 1918 journey to Northern China by famed adventurer/paleontologist Roy Chapman Andrews. Andrews, who was the inspiration for the many e...
A Guide Book of Art, Architecture, and Historic Interests in Pennsylvania by Margaretta Archambault
The book covers a wide range of subjects, including colonial architecture, historic landmarks, and the state's vibrant artistic community. The author...
Lancashire by Francis Archibald Bruton
The county of Lancashire in the north-west of England is best known as the engine room of the nineteenth-century Industrial Revolution. Steering clear...
Faery Lands of the South Seas by James Norman Hall
Returning from the horrors of World War I James Hall and Charles Nordhoff follow a dream to tour the South Pacific. They later co authored “Mutiny on...
The National Geographic Magazine Vol. 06 by National Geographic Society
National Geographic (formerly the National Geographic Magazine, sometimes branded as NAT GEO) is the long-lived official monthly magazine of the Natio...
How I Found Livingstone by Sir Henry Morton Stanley
Sir Henry Morton Stanley is famously quoted for saying "Dr Livingstone, i Presume?". Born in Wales, he migrated over to the United States at the age o...
Pointed Roofs: Pilgrimage, Volume 1 by Dorothy Richardson
"Pointed Roofs" is the first volume of "Pilgrimage," a series of thirteen autobiographical novels by Dorothy Richardson considered to have pioneered t...
Japan and Korea by Frank G. Carpenter
"Embark on an immersive journey through the enigmatic heart of the East with 'Japan and Korea' by Frank G. Carpenter. Step into a world where traditio...
Reviews for Italian Hours
No reviews posted or approved, yet...