'I am convinced that we are living in a fool's paradise, that the ground is heaving under our feet.'The Princess Casamassima (1886) is among the most important novels in Henry James's oeuvre, occupying the midpoint of the development of his career. Here James turns from his transatlantic theme to the broader canvas of social fiction. investigating the new sense of modernity that subsequently preoccupied his fiction. James's most overtly political fiction and deepest engagement with the class system, the novel portrays the lives of a broad swathe of London life. The narrative follows the tragic career of a young bookbinder, Hyacinth Robinson, whose friendships lead him into the subterranean world of radical conspiracies and terrorism, especially his involvement with the captivating Princess Casamassima, an American who has married into the Italian aristocracy. This edition includes the magisterial preface James later wrote for the New York Edition, where he spells out his plan for the book, the 'germ' from which it originated, and his idea of what the novel required both of its author and its readers. Along with a full set of explanatory notes, Gordon Hutner's introduction explores the novel's literary and social background. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.