Colm Toíbín

Colm Toíbín, a celebrated novelist and contributing editor at the London Review of Books, joins to explore Henry James's iconic work, The Portrait of a Lady. They delve into how James innovatively crafted Isabel Archer as a new type of heroine, blending influences from Eliot and Austen. The discussion reveals the significance of the novel's subtle yet profound inner drama, the complexities of ambition for women in the 19th century, and the impact of James's revisions on the story. Toíbín's insights provide a fresh lens on this literary masterpiece.