Travels with Henry James

*Starred Review* The great master of American literature conquered fiction, of course, but also literary criticism (described by New Yorker staff writer Hendrik Hertzberg in his foreword as a body of work unmatched for filigreed quality as well as sheer quantity). But another significant, if often overlooked, component of James' oeuvre is his travel writing, presented here in what Hertzberg calls a collection of Jamesian postcards from his travels around the U.S. and through western Europe. In James' day, There was a healthy market for travel writing, and these pieces found appreciative editors and readers. Generally, James' travel writing was concentrated in the early years of his career, which means that his trademark elaborate writing style is less pronounced here. Art, architecture, and history consume his travel prose, and every one of his carefully composed sentences reveals his excellence even nimbleness in detailed remembrance. (I can wish the traveler no better fortune than to stroll forth in the early evening with as large a reserve of ignorance as my own, and treat himself to an hour of discoveries.) This is a fundamental selection for all public library travel collections.--Hooper, Brad Copyright 2016 Booklist