Henry James (1843-1916) was an iconic figure of nineteenth century literature. Among his many masterpieces are The Portrait of a Lady, The Bostonians, The Europeans, The Golden Bowl, and Washington Square. As well as fiction, James produced several works of travel literature and biography, and was one of the great letter writers of any age. A contemporary and friend of Robert Louis Stevenson, Edith Wharton, and Joseph Conrad, James continues to exert a major influence on generations of novelists and writers.