The Portrait of a Lady

By: Henry James

Narrated by: John Wood

Length: 23 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

Exclusively from Audible

When Isabel Archer, a beautiful, spirited American, is brought to Europe by her wealthy aunt Touchett, it is expected that she will soon marry. But Isabel, resolved to enjoy the freedom that her fortune has opened up and to determine her own fate, does not hesitate to turn down two eligible suitors, declaring that she will never be wed.

It is only when she finds herself irresistibly drawn to the cultivated but worthless Gilbert Osmond that she discovers that wealth is a two-edged sword. She becomes a victim of her own provincialism and the scheming of her friends, learning only too late that there is a price to be paid for independence. A tragic tale of love and betrayal, it still resonates with audiences today.

With its subtle delineation of American characters in a European setting, The Portrait of a Lady is considered the masterpiece of the first phase of James's career and arguably his most popular story. Within it we find a reflection of James's interest in the differences between the New World and the Old, often to the detriment of the former.

A film adaptation was made in 1996 by New Zealand director Jane Campion, starring Nicole Kidman, John Malkovich, and Barbara Hershey.

Narrator Biography

Having begun his career on stage, John Wood spent seven years in television before eventually playing lead roles in Tom Stoppard's teleplays in 1967. After two Tony nominations for his performances in Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead and Sherlock Holmes, he won the award for Best Actor for his role in Stoppard's surrealistic farce, Travesties, in 1976. He also had a long career with the Royal Shakespeare Company and continued his theatre work in both America and the UK, eventually receiving a Laurence Olivier Award nomination in 1997 for his role in Stoppard's Invention of Love.

In 1996, Wood performed in BBC Radio 3's audio production of Man and Superman by George Bernard Shaw and in 2010 he narrated audiobook The Portrait of a Lady with Audible Studios. His appearances in feature films have included Nicholas and Alexandra (1971) and, later, television appearances have included Foyles's War (2004) and Lewis (2007). In 2007 he was appointed Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE).

Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Real fine lady, who's that lady?

A work of wonder displaying the naivete' and mistakes of youth and some Americans' missteps in life choices that were driven by gullible and romantic notions of and in Europe. The novel still feels fresh and timely.

I was driven from this novel, after beginning it a few years back, by both its bulk and by my dislike of Washington Square (see, if you will, my caustic review of both the book and the author). I am pleased to have returned to The Portrait of a Lady, so that, finally, I can appreciate the depth of character and psychological acuity of Henry James' writing.

As much as I disliked Washington Square (and was unimpressed by his novella The Beast in the Jungle), I prized this esteemed classic of fiction.

Great read, good reader

What did you love best about The Portrait of a Lady?

James' insight into human motivation for action or inaction. Also his beautiful use of language and his subtle humor.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Portrait of a Lady?

Isabel's moments of self reflection are beautiful and often heartbreaking, especially near the end of the book when they are more pointed and more painful.

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

No

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

No, the book is quite long and dense. I preferred to listen, take a break, then continue or even re-listen to passages.

Any additional comments?

On the whole I liked John Wood's reading. He gets it. My one complaint is the way he handles young women's voices. They sound like mock children. This is especially a problem with this book as I feel the listener needs to somewhat fall in love with the protagonist to really understand the book.

Best audible recording I’ve ever heard

John Wood’s sense for the subtleties of tone and syntax in James brings life to each of the sentences he reads. A masterpiece of a recording; adequately nuanced for someone as fine as James. A 24 hours blissfully spent.

I will reread one day to better know James

There was a moment in this book when I told my husband that I didn't like the book at all. And later on, there was a moment when I felt it was my favorite read of 2019! In the end I realize that Mr James was an artist, and that Colm Toibin was spot on when he calls James The Master. So why were there those moments when I disliked it? I think it is because the book isn't an easy read. It is smart and intricate and difficult. I needed to stay in the story without any distraction.

This book feels very modern despite the fact that it was published in 1881.

What I loved most:

1. Isabel Archer
James gave us a book about a beautiful and strong American woman who is visiting her wealthy relatives in England. She values independence above everything else and rejects marriage proposals by two suitors. She inherits a fortune and is looking towards a solitary life in which she isn't burdened or controlled by a man. But she is manipulated into marrying ...

2. Gilbert Osmond.
He is one of the most hateful, arrogant, sinister, spiteful and intriguing antagonists I have read in a long time. He makes the book much better.

This duo of headstrong woman and sickening, obsessive man is what made me love the modern book The Pillars of the Earth. I think that the duo of Isabel and Gilbert is quite similar to Aliena & William Hamleigh. (I know the comparison may seem odd, but I loved both duos in the same way.)

brutal and bloodless

Every ten years or so I read one of James' novels, hoping it will "take," but I'm still not a fan. His fiction is so dispassionate that I find myself baffled by his characters. The heroine, Isabelle, is more self-possessed and self-aware than any 23-year-old I've ever known. Men are so crazy for her that they follow her across oceans and continents--the last time I saw such single-minded devotion was in "There's Something about Mary". With all this going for her, why doesn't Isabelle smell a rat when the creepy Osmond starts courting her? Why isn't she clued in by the fact that none of her friends like him--and that his unfortunate daughter, Pansy, is reminiscent of a character out of the Ghastlycrumb Tinies? The last third of the novel is more engaging; there's a discursive section on Isabelle's attraction to Osmond (which John Wood reads beautifully), and I found myself more involved with the characters after I had some of their history. If you are a James fan, give this one a try. If you're hoping to be converted, I don't think this audiobook will do it.

Breathtaking

One can learn psychology and sociology from this book, while swimming in its warm and enticing waters.

My first Henry James

This was the first book I read by Henry James. I wasn't blown away but I liked it. The mix of American & British characters drew me in to the story. The timeframe was never really established. I would have liked to have known more about that to get a better sense of the placement.

Fiction of beauty and depth!

Loved it. Great fiction psychological and feminist for the era in which it was written.

Freedom succumbs to duty, love to yearning.

The Ambassadors was one level of masterwork. The Wings Of A Dove, quite another, but this, a most accessible and poignant masterpiece will stay with us for the ages.

Beautiful

The character development is amazing and the story captivating. The narrator does a wonderful job.