Henry James 
The Portrait of a Lady 

Following the death of her father, Isabel Archer leaves the comforts of her Albany, New York home to live with her aunt Lydia Touchett in London. While there she meets Lydia’s well-to-do husband David, her cousin Ralph, and the Touchett’s proud neighbor, Lord Warburton. Soon after, marriage proposals arrive from Lord Warburton and Caspar Goodwood, the son of a wealthy mill owner. James’s early masterpiece features profound writing about personal freedom and betrayal, and describes an old world giving way to the new.

About the author

Henry James (1843-1916) was an American author and master of literary realism. He split his time between America and Europe, eventually settling in England. Consequently, his novels are known for their interactions between American and European characters. He was one first American novelists to explore first-person consciousness and perception.