more than 95 theses

Brian Appleyard's least favorite book

The Awkward Age by Henry James This late (1899) book marks the beginning of the end for James, and persuaded me that he was never that good. FR Leavis called it “one of James’s major achievements”. Leavis was mad. I tried to make myself read it, my mouth gaping in a silent scream, but I failed. I wanted all the characters to die, slowly and in terrible agony. It would be the first interesting thing that had happened to them.

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