House of Wits
An Intimate Portrait of the James Family
Henry Holt and Co. · Print & ebook · May 26, 2009
"A sweeping biography . . .
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- Who it’s for
- Readers interested in American literary families and cultural history
- Themes
- family dynamics, mental health struggles, literary history
- Pacing
- Steady
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The Six Loves of James IMr. Gareth Russell, Gareth Russell54% match
The Hemingses of MonticelloAnnette Gordon-Reed54% match
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For younger readers: Alexander Hamilton, Revolutionary, Lives of the Presidents, Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Start with this bookAbout this book
"A sweeping biography . . . [Fisher] gives fair and sympathetic time to everyone, and provides a lively and detailed social history of the period." —The New York Times The James family, a true American dynasty, gave the world three famous children: Henry, a novelist of genius; William, an influential philosopher; and Alice, an invalid who became a feminist icon, despite her sheltered life and struggles with mental illness.
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Paul Fisher's masterly biography provides a captivating account of the conflicts—bitter struggles with depression, alcoholism, jealousy, and panic disorders—that shaped the members of this brilliant family, including the two other brothers, Wilkie and Bob, whose achievements were constantly overshadowed by those of their siblings. Their mother, Mary, lent the family some stability, while the mercurial Henry James Sr. nurtured, inspired, and emotionally wounded his children, setting the stage for their intense rivalries and extraordinary achievements. House of Wits is a revealing cultural history that completes our understanding of its remarkable protagonists and the changing world in which they came of age.
Who it’s for
- Readers interested in American literary families and cultural history
- Fans of detailed biographies about historical figures and their personal struggles
Where it sits
| Writers' Lives | 96% |
|---|---|
| Philosophers' Lives | 67% |
| Women's Lives | 33% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Lives in History
- Writers' Lives
- Authors
- Paul Fisher
- Publisher
- Henry Holt and Co.
- Published
- May 26, 2009
- Format
- Print & ebook
- Theme
- family dynamics · mental health struggles · literary history
- Reading lane
- Lives in History