Henry James was an American writer regarded as one of the key figures of 19th-century literary realism. Having spent several years in Britain, he often used to explore the theme of Americans encountering Europe and Europeans in his writings. Known for his imaginative use of point of view, interior monologue and unreliable narrators, he created highly developed characters in his fiction and explored the themes of personal freedom, feminism, and morality. Born as the son of a lecturer and philosopher, he was exposed to scientific and philosophical influences from an early age. His family also travelled frequently and as a young boy he had been to places like London, Paris, Geneva, Boulogne-sur-Mer and Newport, Rhode Island. On growing up he attended Harvard Law School for a while but dropped out after realizing that he was not meant for a career in law. He began writing and within years found considerable recognition for his thoughtfully written works of fiction. As a writer he drew inspiration from the likes of Honore de Balzac, Henrik Ibsen, Charles Dickens, and Nathaniel Hawthorne whose styles he greatly admired. James also contributed significantly to literary criticism and had been nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature thrice.