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The Ambassadors
by Henry James
- Used
- good
- Paperback
- Condition
- Good
- Seller
-
Missoula, Montana, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Concerned that her son Chad may have become involved with a woman of dubious reputation, the formidable Mrs Newsome sends her 'ambassador' Strether from Massachusetts to Paris to extricate him. Strether's mission, however, is gradually undermined as he falls under the spell of the city and finds Chad refined rather than corrupted by its influence and that of his charming companion, Madame de Vionnet, and her daughter, Jeanne. As the summer wears on, Mrs Newsome concludes that she must send another envoy to confront the errant Chad - and a Strether whose view of the world has changed profoundly. One of the greatest of James's late works, The Ambassadors is a subtle and witty exploration of different responses to a European environment.
Synopsis
Chad Newsome has gone to Paris. He is charmed by Old World fascinations and caught up in the leisurely craft and bohemian direction of European worldliness. An older woman of rank and adventurous but subtle skill, Madame de Vionnet, strokes his ego and does her best to keep Chad in Paris indefinitely. Chad's mother lives in Woollett, Mass., and wants her son to return to run the family business. Mrs. Newsome is an invalid and cannot go to Paris to fetch her son herself, so she employs Lambert Strether and Sarah Pocock to return Chad to Massachusetts. Sarah has been to Paris before and is aware of its attractiveness, so her determination to succeed in this task is fixed and uncompromising. Strether is of later middle age, however, and inspired by the fairytale of a beautiful life in Europe. Mrs. Newsome has promised to marry Strether if he can bring Chad home. Strether is completely enamored by the Parisian character and its enchantments and has a difficult time completing his mission. The drama of reestablishing Chad in business in America and of coming to terms with the mythological romance of France leaves the reader unbalanced, trying to recover equilibrium in the real world. Those involved with Chad's rescue are compelled to recognize the deep intimacies of personal attachment and the accepted proprieties of direct consequence. The success and failures of such an undertaking are unpredictable. The result of every character's attempt to steer Chad rightly is a strange conglomeration of role reversal, fantasy, and truth.
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Details
- Bookseller
- The Vespiary Book Restoration & Bindery
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- SQ1133466
- Title
- The Ambassadors
- Author
- Henry James
- Book Condition
- Used - Good
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Binding
- Paperback
- Publisher
- Dell
- Date Published
- 1964
- Weight
- 0.00 lbs
- Bookseller catalogs
- Literature;
Terms of Sale
The Vespiary Book Restoration & Bindery
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
The Vespiary Book Restoration & Bindery
Biblio member since 2020
Missoula, Montana
About The Vespiary Book Restoration & Bindery
The Vespiary Book Restoration & Bindery has been operating since 2008 providing a wide range of book repair, conservation, and binding services. Her used book selection is eclectic, but discerning. If you have books you'd like to trade, The Vespiary offers credit for merchandise and services in exchange for books.
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