Due to his extensive and frequent traveling in Europe and America, Henry James was well known for his travel literature. Portrait of places (1883) written by Henry James can be seen as a travel book, reimagined. It is a record of the author's travel between the years 1876 and 1882 where he visited Italy, England, and France. These stories are so beautifully written that they are a perfect companion for your armchair travels or to guide you through Europe. The book starts in Venice and the itinerary takes us through Paris, Rheims, Normandy, and the Pyrenees while the narrator is traveling from Italy to France and in England we experience the beauty of Warwickshire and London. James' skillfully paints word-portraits that vividly conjure and bring forth the lesser known castles, alleys, monuments, events and festivals of Europe. The book also contains sketches of Newport; Niagara; Quebec; and Saratoga, scenic locales found in North America. The book successfully captures the historical and cultural beauty found by the author on both sides of the Atlantic while traveling for over a period of six years.