I absolutely adored this compilation of four captivating stories penned by the brilliant Henry James! I have a firm plan to re-read the spine-tingling \\"The Turn of the Screw\\" during the spooky month of October, which is Halloween season in the US. These tales are truly ghostly, filled with a grim and suggestively evil atmosphere, just as real ghosts are imagined to be. They are deeply satisfying examples of the gothic horror genre.

This Oxford edition of The Turn of the Screw and Other Stories encompasses: \\"Sir Edmund Orme\\"; \\"Owen Wingrave\\"; \\"The Friends of the Friends\\"; and, of course, the unforgettable \\"The Turn of the Screw\\". It features an informative \\"Introduction\\" and detailed notes by T. J. Lustig, a renowned James scholar and author. Additionally, there are four pages of suggested \\"Further Readings\\" and a scholarly Appendix sourced from the notebooks of the great author himself, Henry James.

Some readers may gripe that Henry James is overly difficult to read, but I wholeheartedly disagree. While it's true that his sentences can be grammatically complex and even convoluted, every single word is of utmost criticality to his intended meaning. Each story offers a compact yet intense session with gothic horror, and the endings are truly startling, demanding the reader's suspension of disbelief. Since James' style is rooted in literary realism, the reader is smoothly carried through the narratives, maintaining a sense of trust in the narrator even when the subject matter is deeply unsettling. The intricate details surrounding the carefully crafted characters and their surroundings further enhance one's sense of \\"the real\\", even as we are plunged into the supernatural realm.

Authenticity can indeed be regarded as a trademark of this remarkable author. In the book Henry James in Context by David McWhirter, we encounter this astute analysis. \\"More consistently and more explicitly than any of his contemporaries, American or European, Henry James recognized literary realism as the attempt not to reproduce the real directly, but rather to create an impression of it – to evoke for readers the ‘sense’, the ‘air’, ‘the odour’, the ‘strange, irregular rhythm’ of reality (LC-1, 52–3, 58).\\"

In \\"Owen Wingrave\\", we are introduced to the imposing old house Paramore, which itself takes on the role of a character.

\\"This very short second visit... was to constitute the strangest episode of his life. As soon as he found himself in private with his wife---they had retired to dress for dinner--they called each other's attention with effusion and almost with alarm to the sinister gloom diffused through the place. The house was admirable from its old grey front, which came forward in wings so as to form three sides of a square, but Mrs. Coyle made no scruple to declare that if she had known in advance the sort of impression she was going to receive she would never have put her foot in it. She characterized it as 'uncanny' and as looking wicked and weird... \\"

As the reader steps into the house along with the characters, there is a palpable sense of giant \\"wings\\" encircling you, uniting you with Owen Wingrave and the terrors that he must confront. It is a masterful blend of realism and horror!

The Turn of the Screw ★★★

I truly loved this story, despite the fact that the writing style was a bit jarring. It had a certain charm and mystery that kept me engaged from beginning to end. The way the author crafted the plot and the characters was quite remarkable.

The Romance of Certain Old Clothes ★★★★

This story was a real gem. I gave it four stars because it had a unique and captivating premise. The idea of old clothes holding secrets and memories was fascinating, and the author did a great job of bringing that to life.

The Friends of the Friends ★★★★

I really, really loved this concept. It was so original and thought-provoking. The story explored the complex relationships between people and the idea of how our friends' friends can have an impact on our lives. It was a great read that left me with a lot to think about.

The Jolly Corner ★★

I struggled the most with this one. Maybe I will come back to it one day, but for now, it just didn't click with me. The writing style was a bit too dense, and I had a hard time following the plot. However, I can see that there are some interesting themes and ideas at play, so I'm willing to give it another chance in the future.

I’ve read Turn of the Screw countless times. It has always fascinated me with its complex narrative and eerie atmosphere.

However, I’d never read the other three stories in this collection: “Sir Edmund Orme,” “Owen Wingrave,” and “The Friends of the Friends.”

To my delight, all three are very good. It is interesting to observe how certain elements repeat in James’s ghost stories.

For instance, the silent, staring ghosts add an element of mystery and unease. The hints of sexual desire, though often subtle, add another layer of complexity to the characters and their relationships.

And the sudden deaths on seeing ghosts are both shocking and tragic.

What I find most remarkable is how these elements find their most complex expression in Turn of the Screw. It is as if James took all the themes and motifs he explored in the other stories and distilled them into this one masterpiece.

Rereading these stories has given me a new appreciation for James’s skill as a writer and his ability to create truly haunting and unforgettable works of fiction.

Henry James' writing style was extremely fragmented, which often made it a headache for me to read.

I did enjoy the story "Sir Edmund Orme," and "Friends of the Friends" was just okay. However, all the stories seemed unnecessarily long.

Take the famous "Turn of the Screw" for example. It was about 100 pages too long, and the fragmented writing style of James made it difficult to fully engage in the story.

I felt that the story he wanted to convey could have been written in a more cohesive and suspenseful manner.

This was my first encounter with Henry James, and I have to admit that I'm not entirely impressed. I'm looking forward to reading one of his novels, hoping that the writing style will be much more coherent.

Overall, I rate it two stars. As I mentioned before, I found some enjoyment in two of the stories.

Henry James is an undeniably challenging author to read.

His sentences seem to meander aimlessly, accumulating additional clauses like lint and dander along the way.

As a result, they become so convoluted and fluffy that it becomes extremely difficult to identify their original form.

Syntactically speaking, reading James requires a great deal of effort, even more so than reading Conrad, and perhaps as much as reading Proust.

However, despite the difficulties, he is truly a great writer.

This particular work of fiction is simply unbelievable - it ranks among the best horror stories in the English language.

It is rich with meaning, yet it remains delightfully ambiguous.

One could easily spend months engaged in a passionate debate over what actually occurs in the story.

In conclusion, while reading Henry James may be a lot of work, it is absolutely worth the effort.

His unique writing style and profound insights make his works a true literary treasure.

Not great. It's really slow and not even scary. This description seems to be about a particular experience or thing. Maybe it's a movie, a ride, or a game. When something is slow, it can often make the overall experience feel dull and uninteresting. And if it's supposed to be scary but fails to evoke any sense of fear, then it really misses the mark.

Perhaps the creators of this thing were aiming for a certain atmosphere or effect, but they didn't quite achieve it. Maybe they focused too much on the slow pacing and forgot about the importance of creating a sense of excitement and terror. Or maybe they just didn't have the skills or resources to pull it off.

In any case, it's a disappointment. We all have expectations when we engage with something that's supposed to be great or scary, and when those expectations aren't met, it can be a letdown. But at least we can learn from this experience and hope that the next time we encounter something similar, it will be better.

I have a profound love for the ambiguity that pervades Henry James' The Turn of the Screw. The question that lingers is: Is the unnamed Governess a shrewd protector of children who are in danger from supernatural forces? Or is she a neurotic individual who perceives phantoms that are simply manifestations of her own insanity?

This year, I had the opportunity to teach this novel for the very first time, and I am certain that it will not be the last. There is something truly captivating about the way James weaves this tale, leaving the readers in a state of uncertainty and speculation.

The Governess's character is complex and enigmatic, and her actions and interpretations of events keep the readers on the edge of their seats. The ambiguity of the story allows for multiple interpretations, making it a rich and engaging text for both students and scholars alike.

I look forward to many more opportunities to explore the depths of The Turn of the Screw and to share its mysteries with future generations of readers.

I was home alone one night and decided to read "The Turn of the Screw." I had always thought Henry James was rather tedious, but this time it was an entirely unexpected experience.

As I delved into the story, I was quickly drawn in by the eerie atmosphere and the sense of foreboding that hung over every page. The descriptions of the old, isolated house and the strange happenings within it sent shivers down my spine.

Before I knew it, I was completely engrossed in the tale, my heart pounding with fear. By the time I reached the end, I was scared witless. It just goes to show that sometimes, even an author you think you know can surprise you and take you on a terrifying journey.

Well, I've truly become a die-hard Henry James fan.

His works have this remarkable ability to draw you in and make you feel as if you are right there, experiencing the emotions and thoughts of the characters. It's as if he has a special insight into the human psyche, understanding the complex emotional state of people with astonishing precision.

The language he uses to depict the inner as well as the expressed workings of the human mind is simply phenomenal. It's rich, detailed, and so evocative that it brings the characters and their worlds to life in the most vivid way. You can almost feel the turmoil, the joy, the confusion, and all the other emotions that the characters are going through. Reading Henry James is like embarking on a journey through the human soul, and it's an experience that I will cherish and keep coming back to again and again.

In the spring semester of 2020, I had the opportunity to teach The Turn of the Screw in a course at Regent University.

This gothic novella by Henry James presents a complex and mysterious narrative that engages students on multiple levels.

As we delved into the text, we explored themes such as the nature of evil, the power of suggestion, and the reliability of perception.

Students analyzed the characters, their motives, and the ambiguous events that unfold throughout the story.

We also discussed the literary techniques used by James, such as his use of point of view and his ability to create a sense of tension and unease.

The discussions in class were lively and thought-provoking, as students shared their interpretations and insights.

Teaching The Turn of the Screw was a rewarding experience, as it allowed me to introduce students to a classic work of literature and encourage them to think critically about its meaning and significance.

I'll be honest.

I found this to be a really hard and slow slog to read.

James's prose is extremely convoluted by modern standards.

It features long compound sentences and archaic usage.

The book was first published in 1898.

I'm awarding it three stars instead of two.

This is because of the significant influence it has had on subsequent "ghost story" literature.

Some of my favorites in this genre include The Woman in Black by Susan Hill and more recently The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware.

James manages to maintain a palpable tension throughout the story.

There is also an uncertainty in the reader as to whether the apparitions are real or simply some sort of protracted hysterical hallucination on the part of the governess.

This element of mystery and doubt adds to the overall allure of the book.

Despite its challenging prose, it has left a lasting mark on the ghost story genre.

Like many others, I read this book in preparation for the 2nd series of Mike Flanagan's horror anthology series The Haunting of Bly Manor. This way, I could watch out for any Easter eggs. I'm very glad I purchased this edition that had Turn of the Screw as well as James' other short ghost stories. These were all incorporated into the plot for the TV show.

It was a hard read due to the flowery language and complicated sentence structure. I found myself having to re-read constantly.

I felt it lacked enough tension, so for me it wasn't massively scary, even though it definitely had a few stand-out terrifying moments. The real fear created in the book is the ambiguity, which is never definitively explained. Was Bly Manor haunted? Or was the Governess mad? This unreliable narrator has been simulated so many times in modern horror, most recently in Invisible Man starring Elizabeth Moss (what a film). So it was cool to see one of the origins of that horror trope.

Overall, while the book had its challenges, it was still an interesting read, especially for those who are fans of the TV show or interested in the history of horror literature. It provided a unique perspective on the haunted house genre and the use of the unreliable narrator. I would recommend it to others who are looking for a classic horror story with a bit of a twist.