Description: Published in 1897, The Spoils of Poynton is one of the quintessential works of James's middle period. The 'spoils' of the book's title refer to furniture and other objets d'art that the widow Adela Gereth moves to her cottage so that they are kept away from the clutches of her coarse future daughter-in-law, Mona Brigstock. However, events take an unexpected turn when her married son Owen is attracted to her friend, Fleda Vetch. This tightly constructed novel, one of James's shortest, depicts the struggle between mother and son, with the idealistic and put-upon Fleda caught in the crossfire.
Brief description:
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.