The Aspern Papers The Spoils of Poynton Author:Henry James The Aspern Papers — Amidst the decaying splendor of a Venetian palace, two women live in penury and seclusion--one, the aged mistress of a great poet, long dead; the other, her spinster niece. For years they have zealously guarded some unpublished love letters of the poet; now into their lives comes a young man on a ruthless mission: to secure th... more »e letters on any terms. Inspired by an incident in the life of Lord Byron's mistress, this first-rate novella is unequaled in James for suspense, mood and virtuosity.
The Spoils of Poynton
James's first work in his later style, this wonderfully constructed short novel centers around the fate f a family home. Mrs. Gereth a widow of great charm and equal force, is aghast at the idea of relinquishing her beloved 'Poynton' to the modernizing hand of her son Owen's shallow fiancée. She plans to divert Owen's affections to a more worthy girl, of her own choosing. But the plan comes to an unexpected conclusion.« less