The stories in this collection were written mostly between 1888 and 1897, a time when Henry James’s writing was concerned with the art of fiction and the position of the artist in society. The motif and title story, ‘The Figure in the Carpet’, is an inspired joke, a masterpiece of double-entendre that demands the reader’s undivided love and attention and continues to baffle its critics. Also included are ‘The Author of Beltraffio’, an absorbing story of family infighting, authorship and tragedy, and ‘The Private Life’, a spirited tale that considers the contrast between the artist alone and at work. While many of these stories appear to be elaborate Jamesian games, all employ irony and humour to allegorize artistic creation.

Enwrapped in indescribable mysteriousness, ‘The Figure in the Carpet’ (1896) is a short story by the American-born British writer Henry James. It explores the meaning of art and how it is found in what other people see. Hugh Vereker is a famous author who says the secret to his greatness and skill is hidden in his works ‘like a complex figure in a Persian carpet’. When the narrator of the story meets Vereker, he becomes obsessed with discovering the secret meaning of his favourite author's works. Those who enjoy Henry James' short story will likely find ́Eureka ́ by Anthony Quinn interesting as The Figure is an important part of the plot. Henry James (1843-1916) was an American-born, British author, and one of the founders of the school of realism in fiction. His inventive use of interior monologues and unreliable narrators, brought a complexity and depth to his work that made him hugely popular. A prolific writer, he published numerous novels, articles, travel books, biographies and plays. Many of his stories have been adapted for TV and film, such as ‘What Maisie Knew’ (2012) starring Steve Coogan and Julianne Moore. However, it is his celebrated Gothic novella ‘The Turn of the Screw’ (1898), regarded as one of the greatest ghost stories ever written, that has been adapted more than any other. Most recently, the eponymous 2009 BBC TV series starring Michelle Dockery, and the Netflix series, ‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’ (2020). James was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1911, 1912, and 1916.

The governess of two enigmatic children fears their souls are in danger from the ghosts of the previous governess and her sinister lover.

First published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Often regarded as one of the most important literary figures of his era, American-born author Henry James possessed a unique knack for describing the idiosyncrasies of dysfunctional families. The Ambient family at the center of the novella The Author of Beltraffio ranks among his most compelling creations. The patriarch Mark Ambient is an acclaimed novelist whose wife strongly disapproves of his work. Will this discordance bring the family to its knees?

Five British children discover in their new carpet an egg, which hatches into a phoenix that takes them on a series of fantastic adventures around the world.