Roderick Hudson (Barnes & Noble Digital Library)

Published in book form in 1876, Roderick Hudson was said by James to be his “first attempt at a complex and full-length narrative.” The story follows the complicated relationship between Roderick Hudson, a talented but poor American sculptor, and his patron, the repressed Rowland Mallet, who takes Roderick to Italy to further his art.  It is a revealing portrayal of the demise of an artist.