Henry James, (April 15, 1843 – February 28, 1916) was an American writer, regarded as one of the key figures of 19th-century literary realism.
James was born in New York City into a wealthy family
He was the son of Henry James, Sr., a clergyman, and the brother of philosopher and psychologist William James and diarist Alice James.
His father, Henry James Sr. was one of the best-known intellectuals in mid-nineteenth-century America.
He studied with tutors in Geneva, London, Paris, Bologna and Bonn.
At the age of 19 he briefly attended Harvard Law School, but preferred reading literature to studying law.
James published his first short story, , two years later, and devoted himself to literature.
From an early age James had read the classics of English, American, French and German literature and Russian classics in translation.
His first novel, Watch and Ward (1871), was written while he was traveling through Venice and Paris.
He is primarily known for the series of novels in which he portrays the encounter of Americans with Europe and Europeans.
His method of writing from the point of view of a character within a tale allows him to explore issues related to consciousness and perception, and his style in later works has been compared to impressionist painting. …
