Books › Partial portraits

Partial portraits
First published 2006 · 461 pages
A contemplative and scholarly exploration of 19th-century literary minds and the evolving art of modern fiction.
What it feels like
Stepping into this collection of essays and addresses feels like entering a quiet, wood-paneled study dedicated to the rigorous examination of literary craft. The reading experience is leisurely and deeply intellectual, asking the reader to slow down and engage with measured, 19th-century critical thought. Rather than a narrative journey, it offers a cerebral exploration of modern literature, focusing heavily on the history and criticism of fiction. The atmosphere is studious and reflective, colored by the analytical lens applied to prominent figures like Alphonse Daudet and Guy de Maupassant. It is a text that will thoroughly delight scholars of literary history and anyone who finds deep satisfaction in the formal, historical critique of the written word.
- Mood
- contemplative
- intellectual
- studious
- Tone
- analytical
- reflective
- scholarly
- measured
- Pace
- leisurely
- Themes
- literary criticism · the art of fiction · 19th-century literary history · artistic evaluation
- The writing
- Formal, measured, and deeply analytical, reflecting the rhetorical traditions of 19th-century essays and lectures.
- The arc
- A steady, cerebral progression through the nuances of literary craft and historical critique.
- Who it's for
- Scholars of 19th-century literature and readers who delight in rigorous, historical literary criticism.
About the book
Master microform held by: LrI.
Microfiche. Chicago, Ill.: Library Resources, 1970. 1 microfiche; 8 x 13 cm. (Library of American civilization; LAC 16807).
Description from Open Library.
Books like Partial portraits
See why they match
Lectures on Literature. Austen, Dickens, Flaubert, Stevenson, Proust, Kafka, JoyceVladimir Vladimirovich NabokovAn authoritative, scholarly exploration of the craft of fiction through the lens of classic 19th and 20th-century literature.
Daisy MillerHenry JamesA sun-drenched, gossipy stroll through European high society that slowly tightens into a tragic clash of innocence and rigid tradition.
The Portrait of a LadyHenry JamesA gilded cage slowly closing around a fiercely independent spirit.
The development of the dramaBrander MatthewsAn archival deep dive into the historical evolution and critical analysis of theatrical arts.
Short storiesGuy de MaupassantA masterclass in cynical observation that peels back the polite veneer of society to reveal the tragic and absurd realities beneath.
How fiction worksJames WoodAn illuminating masterclass that permanently alters the way you experience the architecture of a sentence.