Criticism talks a good deal of nonsense, but even its nonsense is a useful force. It keeps the question of art before the world, insists upon its importance.

As more material became available to scholars including the diaries of contemporaries and hundreds of affectionate and sometimes erotic letters written by James to younger men the picture of neurotic celibacy gave way to a portrait of a closeted homosexual although as author Terry Eagleton has stated ". Strether is to bring the young man back to the family business but he encounters unexpected complications. James was one of the great letter-writers of any era.

The concept of a good or bad novel is judged solely upon whether the author is good or bad. He is primarily known for the series of novels in which he portrays the encounter of Americans with Europe and Europeans.