Book Cover of The Real Thing

The Real Thing

by Henry James

"The Real Thing" is a short story by Henry James, first syndicated by S. S. McClure in multiple American newspapers and then published in the British publication Black and White in April 1892 and the following year as the title story in the collection, The Real Thing and Other Stories published by Macmillan. This story, often read as a parable, plays with the reality-illusion dichotomy that fascinated James, especially in the later stages of his career. For the illustrator who narrates the story, the genuine article proves all too useless for his commercial purposes. The story portrays the unfortunate victims of a society in which reality and representation are closely intertwined in ways that make art a difficult project to disentangle the two.

Book Details

Language

English

Original Language

English

Published In

1892

Authors

Henry James image

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...

Books by Henry James

Listen/Download Audiobook

Read by:
00:00
Playback Speed 1.0
00:00
  • Select Speed

Related books

Uther and Igraine Cover image

Uther and Igraine by Warwick Deeping

The story revolves around the lives of King Uther and Queen Igraine, who are the parents of the legendary King Arthur. The book is set in ancient Brit...

The Storm Of London Cover image

The Storm Of London by Fernande Blaze De Bury

Our clothes tell our story. They reflect our rank, have to suit a perfect event, and much more. But what happens when they disappear? Sounds frighteni...

Kaleri-orja Cover image

Kaleri-orja by Heinrich Zschokke

Set in 17th-century France, "Kaleri-orja" is a touching and evocative novella that tells the tragic tale of Leonardo, a young man whose life is irrevo...

Alexander's Bridge  Cover image

Alexander's Bridge by Willa Cather

Alexander's Bridge is the first novel by American author Willa Cather. First published in 1912, it was re-released with an author's preface in 1922. I...

The Dead Secret Cover image

The Dead Secret by Wilkie Collins

"Everything in life has a price. May be, telling a Secret has the highest. However, not telling may be worse. What will Sarah choose? will she tell th...

The Roll-Call  Cover image

The Roll-Call by Arnold Bennett

"The Roll-Call" is the sequel to the Clayhanger trilogy. This book concerns the young life of Clayhanger's stepson, George. George Edwin Cannon (he qu...

Cousin Betty  Cover image

Cousin Betty by Honoré de Balzac

La Cousine Bette is an 1846 novel by French author Honoré de Balzac. Set in mid-19th-century Paris, it tells the story of an unmarried middle-aged wom...

The Spoils of Poynton  Cover image

The Spoils of Poynton by Henry James

The Spoils of Poynton is a novel by Henry James, first published under the title The Old Things as a serial in The Atlantic Monthly in 1896 and then a...

Ships That Pass in the Night Cover image

Ships That Pass in the Night by Beatrice Harraden

This short novel by Beatrice Harraden, who was known for her work as a suffragist, was a bestseller in its time. In it, teacher and activist Bernardin...

One Basket  Cover image

One Basket by Edna Ferber

This sparkling collection of 7 short stories by Ferber includes some that are considered her all time best like The Woman Who Tried To be Good and The...

Reviews for The Real Thing

No reviews posted or approved, yet...