"I've always been intensely determined to be happy, and I've often believed I should be. . . . But it comes over me every now and then that I can never be happy in any extraordinary way; not by turning away, by separating myself."
-- The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James
I have a limited tolerance for Henry James, as I've discussed here and here.
Listening to the audio version has helped immeasurably. I can actually comprehend the narrative the first time through. But nothing will ever make James truly pleasurable for me because the main characters are always fussing about nothing. This is how she explains why she is turning down the man's marriage proposal. What is she dithering about?
This book is on the Radcliffe Top 100 Novels of the 20th Century list. After I finish this, I'll only have six to go before I finish all the books on this list. That might be a great goal for 2011.
Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Should Be Reading, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event.
