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What Maisie Knew
What Maisie Knew | Henry Jr. James
15 posts | 31 read | 21 to read
A new edition of the innovative, emotionally complex novel. After her parents bitter divorce, young Maisie Farange finds herself shuttled between her selfish mother and vain father, who value her only as a means for provoking each other. Maisie solitary, observant, and wise beyond her years is drawn into an increasingly entangled adult world of intrigue and sexual betrayal until she is finally compelled to choose her own future. Published in 1897 as Henry James was experimenting with narrative technique and fascinated by the idea of the child s-eye view, "What Maisie Knew"is a subtle yet devastating portrayal of an innocent adrift in a corrupt society. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators."
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Leftcoastzen
What Maisie Knew | Henry James
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#BookBinge #involvesDivorce shuttled between a vain father and a selfish mother , Maisie has to raise herself. It doesn‘t get much love here on Litsy , but I remember liking it.written in 1897 , it may be of interest just because nobody wrote about divorce much back then,especially how it might affect the child.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Sounds good! 1y
Eggs Brilliant 🙏🏻🤗 1y
batsy I need to read this! And that cover is great. 1y
57 likes3 comments
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CorgiBooks
What Maisie Knew | Henry James
Bailedbailed

I tried. I really tried but it‘s so dense and boring that I couldn‘t power through

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TimSpalding
What Maisie Knew | Henry James
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Oh, that‘s a good Gorey. #cataloging

Bookwomble Love it ❤ Though Gorey hated James, saying he explained *everything*, leaving nothing to the imagination. Gorey's work, in contrast, explains little and lets the imagination wander. I wonder how he felt about this commission? 6y
TimSpalding That's an interesting observation; I'm not sure I agree with it, though! 6y
TimSpalding I am now tagging @Jennick2004 to see if this changes her notifications. 6y
TimSpalding @Jennick2004 I am stumped about your problem. 6y
LisaCarey I hope you kept this one. 6y
42 likes5 comments
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JacintaMCarter
What Maisie Knew | Henry James
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Panpan

#2018Book93
Because I have a Master's degree in English, I occasionally figure I should read a classic or two. But then I end up with a classic like this, which makes me wonder how it became a classic in the first place. Sure, Henry James knows how to write a sentence. But this book is literally just the same people having the same argument over and over in front of a child for 200+ pages. That's it.

TheAnitaAlvarez Henry James is a bit like that, but I‘ve always loved him in my fashion 6y
sisilia Prolixity? 6y
BarbaraBB I just read this one too and felt the same. 6y
mcipher That sounds like my marriage sometimes. 🤣😂 6y
75 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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JacintaMCarter
What Maisie Knew | Henry James
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BarbaraBB
What Maisie Knew | Henry James
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Panpan

Maisie is the product of a broken home. Her parents hate each other, and Maisie is being ping-ponged between them and their new partners. All the adults are utterly self-centered and Maisie never comes first. They use her as a weapon in their own battles, thinking she won‘t understand because she‘s just a child.
This theme was probably more shocking in the 19th century than nowadays. I think the novel lost much of its relevance. #1001books

Liz_M My sentiments almost exactly. But I think I phrased it as "BORING!!!" 6y
64 likes1 comment
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HannaPolkadots
What Maisie Knew | Henry Jr. James
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Raining today, so getting ready for hours spent in the porch swing with my favorite peeps: Henry (👑) and Maisie. Wishing you all a great reading day!

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HannaPolkadots
What Maisie Knew | Henry Jr. James
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Maisie is such a great character! About 1/4th into the book, and it is fantastic. And, for Henry James, not too heavy. Recommended!😀

18 likes3 stack adds
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HannaPolkadots
What Maisie Knew | Henry Jr. James
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Henry James wrote this in 1897. As far as I know it is one of the first books to ever deal with the consequences of a divorce for a child. And it's well done. At least the first two pages 😉

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HannaPolkadots
What Maisie Knew | Henry James
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I've travelled a lot lately, and thus fallen å bit behind on all things Litsy - being away from my bookshelves and all. But here's my #tbrpile for June. Can't wait to reread What Maisie Knew 😍

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JacintaMCarter
What Maisie Knew | Henry James
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If I was at my parents' house, I could use my copy of The Grapes of Wrath, as that book is truly #FallingApart. (I might have stolen it from my senior English classroom by simply forgetting to turn it in at the end of the semester.) But I'm at my apartment, so the best I can do is this slightly worn copy of What Maisie Knew. #SpringFlingReading

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Gulfsidemusing
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#myfirstlitsypost was for a readalong 😀📚#booktober

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Gulfsidemusing
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Just past the halfway mark of WHAT MAISIE KNEW by Henry James. Surprisingly contemporary for an 1897 novel. Divorce, deception, child custody...

7 likes3 stack adds