As a lifelong fan of ghost and paranormal stories, I first came to Henry James’s work via his ghost tales. It didn’t take long to notice that these were a mixed bag for me, with stories ranging from enjoyable creative storytelling, to tediously detailed narration—and perhaps not really ghost stories in the traditional sense. Still, as a Brussels-born multicultural person who later moved to California, his “dark” humor and eye on American-New World and European-Old World ways intrigue me, even with the obvious varied settings and global changes that have occurred since then. While I could be wrong, a quick glimpse at some of my readings of his shorter works thus far suggests the verbosity came later in life—and has me wondering why: stylistic change and/or a perceived mark of sophistication? Could it also hint at mental changes?

Enter the main Henry James “miss” for me—as fascinating as it remains—in none other than his famous The Turn of the Screw. It also earns its place as among, if not THE story I’ve likely seen the most in movie versions (including the Spanish film where the governess is changed to a male teacher) . Unfortunately Turn was a read I couldn’t wait to get through, which is usually not a good sign when contemplating my reading experience. (That’s not to say that reading should always be “easy,” and as a reader who’s not prone to “DNF-ing,” finishing alone is rewarding, and is often not the only benefit in sticking with challenging material.) Still, the absolute worst for me was The Jolly Corner.

As such, my initial short favorites of Henry James include: The Aspern Papers (which is interestingly paired with Turn in my Penguin copy), The Romance of Certain Old Clothes, The Ghostly Rental, and The Friends of the Friends. 

In my quest to find more potential gems, this led me to one of his stories that seems somewhat forgotten, and caught my attention via its French translation: De Grey, A Romance. It instantly had me looking it up and I found it curious that it’s harder to find in print in English. The only Henry James anthology I’ve found it included in is in Library of America’s Henry James: Complete Stories Vol. 1, 1864-1874. While part of the answer is that it’s considered too flawed by some, including the author himself, it’s still a worthy multilayered read.

In telling contrast, not only is there a French pocket edition available from Folio, but a French short film was made by Claude Chabrol in 1976, similarly titled De Grey: un Récit romanesque. 

In short: in 19th century New York, Margaret Aldis is a pale and fragile orphan hired as a maid by Madame de Grey. When she falls in love with Paul, her boss’s son, she’s unaware that a terrible curse now weighs on her. I enjoyed the short film and loved the costume design with its white and blue-grey tones and other subliminal hints. As of this posting (August 2025), it’s available on Youtube, without subtitles. 

Whatever the reason(s), I find it endearing when a work may not get as much attention in its original language, but seems to be enjoyed in another language enough to yield its own translation and film, as is the case in French with De Grey. It’s almost like an appreciative mirrored effect of James’s lens on American-European relations. I also feel like De Grey could’ve been added to his ghost stories, even if it isn’t an “apparition” tale that seems to have been the (unnecessary?) criteria for compiling his ghostly tales.

Speaking of French: The Ghostly Rental also had a film made in 1965 by Robert Enrico, titled La Redevance du fantôme. In 19th century Massachusetts, a student is intrigued by an isolated house. An old man goes there every quarter to collect the rent from the tenant, who is none other than the ghost of his daughter. One of my favorite Henry James stories so far, I found the film pretty faithful to the story, with an added musical element of the actress-daughter’s singing. 

All these shorter works cued me to finally read my copy of Washington Square—and wow! I’m almost shocked at how much I enjoyed this biting tale. Based on a true story, it had me hooked with its elegant writing, layers of dark humor and psychological realism. The bittersweetness leaves much to ponder upon and I even wonder if the sarcasm was a way of countering the story’s most painful aspects. Likewise I can’t help but wonder if the biting edge is his own perceptiveness or a comment on his society; perhaps both. Other short form gems I’ve since added to my list include: Madame de Mauves, The Liar, Benvolio and The Altar of the Dead. I find The Liar his most comical story I’ve read so far, though with the usual bite. 

As mentioned, it can also be a treat to experience his writing and “Jamesian world” via film, and though I generally prefer to read before watching, the inverse can be just as worthwhile. Some contenders include: The Lost Moment (1947 rendition of The Aspern Papers), The Spoils of Poynton (1970, BBC), The Golden Bowl (1972, BBC), Daisy Miller (1974), L’élève (1996 French rendition of The Pupil), and The Wings of the Dove (1997).

Overall I think I’d have to disagree with some views that there “isn’t much happening” in Henry James stories, for they often entail not only drama but tragic, or at least biting, endings, though with obvious variations. As such, whatever his reasons for the eventual complications in his prose, he’s left ample proof that he’s a gifted storyteller, and even if the pace is slower (and, I’d say, sorely needed these days), it’s a treat to revisit the beauty of the older English language via his work. 

Though I’m unlikely to endure more dense writings akin to Turn, it certainly won’t be the end of my reading of the prolific Henry James. What I’ve gathered is that his stories often seem to have an edge, so that even the non-ghost tales have a hint of darkness and/or sadness, and few “happy endings”—though this can also be open to interpretation. As with at least some of the tales of his equally gifted friend Edith Wharton (who wrote her own enjoyable ghost stories), I find that aspects of that can converge with Gothic fiction, which adds another layer to his impressive catalogue. That multilayered skill is often a recipe for memorable storytelling.