The Bostonians is a satirical novel by American author Henry James initially published serially in The Century Magazine, it was later published in 1886 as a book by Macmillan Publishers. The novel tells a melancholy seriocomedy surrounding Basil Ransom's conservative ideals.
Basil is a conservative lawyer from Mississippi. While visiting his cousin in Boston, he runs into Verena Tarrant, a charismatic feminist. Despite their difference in opinion, Basil finds her interesting and pursues her romantically.
Upon release, the novel was negatively received by readers, who felt that it had portrayed the people of Boston in a bad light. The author responded by stating that the novel was not meant to represent actual Bostonians, but was rather a satirical fiction.
In 1984, The Bostonians was adapted into a film of the same name by American filmmaker James Ivory. It was critically acclaimed and nominated for best actress and costume design at the 57th Academy Awards.
