Concerned that her son Chad may have become involved with a woman of dubious reputation, the formidable Mrs. Newsome sends her 'ambassador' Strether from Massachusetts to Paris to extricate him. Strether's mission, however, is gradually undermined as he falls under the spell of the city and finds Chad refined rather than corrupted by its influence and that of his charming companion, the comtesse de Vionnet. As the summer wears on, Mrs. Newsome comes to the conclusion that she must send another envoy to Paris to confront the errant Chad, and a Strether whose view of the world has changed profoundly.
The Ambassadors is a novel by Henry James, first published in 1903. It's often considered one of his finest works and is a significant example of his late style. The novel centers on an American man named Lambert Strether, who is sent to Paris to persuade a young man named Chad Newsome to return to America. Chad is the son of a wealthy American woman, and Lambert is tasked with convincing him to come back to America and assume responsibility for his family's business.
However, as Lambert spends more time in Paris, he becomes increasingly enchanted by the city, its people, and the life that Chad has adopted. The story explores themes of cultural clash, personal transformation, and the complexities of American society versus European sophistication.
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