It has been a long time since I sat down and wrote on this site, the reason is that I just could not finish reading the last three books. But I have managed to complete THE AMBASSADORS, by Henry James. I am still working on the other two books but had decided to finish one at a time instead of reading all three at the same time. I have read this one a little at a time and feel like I did not quite get the reason this was so popular or included in the 100 books you should read in your lifetime.
I will say that it may have been a new concept for the time writing about someone willing to give up their inheritance in order to spend time with an older woman, a somewhat married older woman. That may have been the departure from the norm in the days in the time period with which it is written. so what is the basic outline of the book.
1. Strether is sent to Paris to find the son of Mrs. Newcomb, she is his fiance, or not. Maybe she is just saying she is so that he will do her bidding.
2. In Paris he finds he is not the only one sent to get Chad to come home.
3. He meets Chad and finds he is the company of an older woman and her daughter
4. Finds out Older woman is the love interest not the younger girl.
5. Chad seem very much in control of his life, or is he.
6. Mrs. Newcomb is not happy with the alliance Strether has with a Ms. Godfrey and the fact he has not sent her son home yet. She sends her daughter and the girl she wishes her son to marry.
7. This girl is not really interested in Chad.
8. Strether seems kind of out in left field half the time missing little clues about the situation.
9. Finally figures it out and possibly his relationship with Mrs. Newcomb is over as well as a potential relationship with Ms. Godfrey.
10 And no one knows what Chad will actually do.
The End.
Not a very satisfying ending, nothing gets fixed.
