Henry James (1843 - 1916) was one of the leaders in the school of realism in fiction. He is known for his series of novels in which he portrayed the encounter of America with Europe. James is considered to be the master of the novel and novella. James wrote about personal relationships and the power within these relationships. James explored consciousness and perception from the point of view of a character within a tale. First published in 1878. The Europeans is the story of a fortune-hunting European countess and her charming brother who come to visit their straight-laced cousins near Boston. Their rich and imaginative, but immoral, way of living is contrasted with the dull, and often upright, American way.