“In Daisy Miller there is the seed of what we are to find in full bloom at the end of [James’] career...the pitting of the values of America against those of Europe. The reason Daisy has nothing in common with her fellow Americans in Rome is because they subscribe to the European way of looking at life, a way which so many of James’s novels reveal to be shallow, superficial and cynical. Daisy is honest, fresh and open.” Geoffrey Moore
Description
“What the European male fails to understand is that the American Girl is innocent by definition, mythically innocent; and that her purity depends upon nothing she says or does…”—Leslie Fiedler
When Frederick, an American expatriate traveling in Europe, meets the newly rich Miller family from New York, he is charmed by the daughter, Daisy, and her “inscrutable combination of audacity and innocence.” The Millers have no perception of the complex behavioral code that underlies European society, and Winterbourne is astonished at the girl’s unworldliness and her mother’s unconcern when Daisy accompanies him to the Castle of Chillon. Some months later, he meets the family in Rome, where Daisy has aroused suspicion among the American colony by being seen constantly with a third-rate Italian. Ostracized by former friends who think her “intrigue” has gone too far, Daisy denies that she is engaged to Giovanelli. Publicly, Winterbourne defends her as simply uncultivated, but privately, he hesitates.
Praise
“In Daisy Miller there is the seed of what we are to find in full bloom at the end of [James’] career...the pitting of the values of America against those of Europe. The reason Daisy has nothing in common with her fellow Americans in Rome is because they subscribe to the European way of looking at life, a way which so many of James’s novels reveal to be shallow, superficial and cynical. Daisy is honest, fresh and open.” Geoffrey Moore
“What the European male fails to understand is that the American girl is innocent by definition, mythically innocent; and that her purity depends upon nothing she says or does.” Leslie Fiedler
“Daisy Miller uses the contrast between American innocence and European sophistication as a powerful tool with which to examine social conventions.” Merriam-Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature
“By maintaining a vigorous, satisfying pace, Susan O’Malley holds the listener’s attention admirably. Her reading is intelligent and agreeable.” AudioFile
Details
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Release Day | Dec 31, 2005 |
| Release Date | January 1, 2006 |
| Release Date Machine | 1136073600 |
| Imprint | Blackstone Publishing |
| Provider | Blackstone Publishing |
| Categories | Literature & Fiction, Classics, Most Popular, Classics, Evergreen Classics, Evergreen Classics, Most Popular, Classics, Fiction - All, Fiction - Adult |
Author Bio
Henry James (1843–1916), American novelist, short-story writer, and man of letters, was born in Washington Place, New York, to a family of distinguished philosophers and theologians. He attended schools in New York, Boston, and throughout Europe, where he later settled. A major figure in the history of the novel, he is celebrated as a master craftsman who brought his great art and impeccable technique to bear in the development of abiding moral themes.
Narrator Bio
Susan O’Malley (a.k.a. Bernadette Dunne) is the winner of numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards and has twice been nominated for the prestigious Audie Award. She studied at the Royal National Theatre in London and the Studio Theater in Washington, DC, and has appeared at the Kennedy Center and off Broadway. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Overview
“What the European male fails to understand is that the American Girl is innocent by definition, mythically innocent; and that her purity depends upon nothing she says or does…”—Leslie Fiedler
When Frederick, an American expatriate traveling in Europe, meets the newly rich Miller family from New York, he is charmed by the daughter, Daisy, and her “inscrutable combination of audacity and innocence.” The Millers have no perception of the complex behavioral code that underlies European society, and Winterbourne is astonished at the girl’s unworldliness and her mother’s unconcern when Daisy accompanies him to the Castle of Chillon. Some months later, he meets the family in Rome, where Daisy has aroused suspicion among the American colony by being seen constantly with a third-rate Italian. Ostracized by former friends who think her “intrigue” has gone too far, Daisy denies that she is engaged to Giovanelli. Publicly, Winterbourne defends her as simply uncultivated, but privately, he hesitates.
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