Washington Square is a short novel by Henry James .
The book is often compared with Jane Austen\'s work for the clarity and grace of its prose and its intense focus on family relationships..
The plot of the novel is based upon a true story told to James by his close friend, British actress Fanny Kemble.
Originally published in 1880 as a serial in Cornhill Magazine and Harper\'s New Monthly Magazine, it is a structurally simple tragicomedy that recounts the conflict between a dull but sweet daughter and her brilliant, unemotional father.
Washington Square is a short novel by Henry James