Daisy Miller

Daisy Miller was a lovely little book about society in Europe in the 19th century. James brings two characters together - Daisy, a young and vivacious American girl on a tour of Europe with her family, and Winterbourne - an English student who moves in societies most exclusive circles. Daisy's flirtatiousness and Winterbourne's sense of decorum clash a bit in their courtship and the books ends in tragedy.

Henry James meant, in this book to write about the effects of Americans and Europeans on each other as well as the ideas they had about themselves. I think the only thing that got in the way of this being very successful is that the European character was distinctly male and the American character female.

This is the only book of Henry James that I have been able to complete because I usually find his writing to be so convoluted. I just began Washington Square and am reminded of the stilted style he writes in and only hope the story is as compelling as Daisy Miller was in order to keep me reading!

In other news: The seasons are visibly changing; The president vetoed a bill which would have expanded health care for children; France plans on using DNA testing to test would-be immigrants from Africa who are trying to join their families in France; Britney Spears loses custody of her children; Paris Hilton is an idiot; and Zimbabwe's bakeries are running out of flour.