Hawthorne

The most authentic description for this book is a genius writing about another genius.  Nathaniel Hawthorne was a literary genius, as was the author Henry James. James documents the life and achievements of the American novelist sometimes in a condescending way. But what would we expect from genius? The book is well written and a wonderful document of the life and achievements of Nathaniel Hawthorne. The book was written in the late1800’s and the verbiage reflects some of that. But it is truly an experience reading it and it does offer a great source of information. It is historically correct and without questions a valuable assessment and review of Hawthorne from beginning to end.

When interviewed later about the book Henry James claimed it was not meant to be a biography. It was intended to be a critical essay. This makes sense as the reader gets deeper into the book and realizes the tone of much of the statements. The reader is constantly educated by the smooth styling of the author and his knowledge is incredible. Despite the tone of the author the book is a masterful piece on one of the greats of all time. It is a must read for anyone interested in the world of literature.