От издателя:

First published in 1877, and dramatised by James himself 11 years later, the novel is concerned with the contrast between American and European social codes.The central protagonist is a wealthy American who falls in love with a widow of noble birth while on a trip to Paris. He supports her brother, but the rest of the family discourage his courtship of Claire but he persists until his proposalis accepted; unfortunately this only marks the beginning of his troubles.