Subject

Writer. Born at 21 Washington Place, New York City. Initially he studied to be a lawyer, but gave it up in favour of writing literary reviews and short stories. His better-known works include 'Washington Square', 'Portrait of a Lady' and 'The Turn of the Screw'. The latter has been filmed many times and adapted as an opera by Benjamin Britten. He moved to England in 1876, becoming a British citizen in 1915. Died at his home, 21 Carlyle Mansions, Cheyne Walk, Chelsea. He had been ill for 3 months, during which he sometimes imagined that he was Napoleon.

In 1990 a theory was proposed that James's particular writing style came from his efforts, as a gay man, to remain in the closet, and even that that was his real, hidden, subject.