Inspired by gossip he heard about an American woman being friendly with a Roman man while visiting Italy in 1877, Henry James wrote "Daisy Miller." He first tried to get it published in the United States, but the editors there found it too offensive. It was eventually published by Cornhill Magazine in 1878 and later as a novella in 1879.
"Daisy Miller" was the first work that brought Henry James more recognition and it quickly became popular. It was a deviation from James' usual style and characters - Daisy Miller had both symbolic meanings but also felt real. James, however, felt that some of his other works such as "Roderick Hudson" ought to get more attention than "Daisy Miller." Yet...