Welcome back to the home of the oxymoron. Evil genius. He asked the newspaper to print his obituary early so he'd enjoy it. That's like hiding at your own funeral. Yeah, a big, great gig. I'm Russell Kane. Join me to weigh in on whether the biggest players in history are more evil or genius. Becoming that rich, I'd say that is some level of genius. It also helps that it's a long time ago, right?

It's like the podcast version of telling your kids the ice cream van plays music when it's out of ice cream.

Listen to Evil Genius on BBC Sounds.

Hello, it's the land where the lemon trees bloom, where Michelangelo's David looms,

and where stayed Anglo-Saxons wilt or go wild in the sun. I'm talking about Italy, of course.

It's also the country which has captured the imagination of many writers, and amongst them Henry James.

The great American novelist is remembered for his

works from the sublime, the portrait of a lady, to the macabre the turn of the screw. But he also

made no fewer than 14 visits to Italy, the first in 1869, the last in 1907, and his fascination

with the country colours his fiction and his non-fiction.

He even gathered his writings on the country in a collection titled Italian Hours.

Now we're going to be examining the trace that Italy left on James' work

with Booker Prize nominated novelist Philip Hensher and the scholar of Henry James, Philip

Horn. So Philip Horn, let's start with Henry James as tourist in Italy. And I think you're

going to start by reading us a passage which describes his first encounter with the country. Henry

James was in Rome and at this point he's writing home to his brother.

So this is 1869.

I rushed to this hotel, and after a wash and a breakfast, let myself loose on the city.

From midday to dusk, I've been roaming the streets.

At last, for the first time, I live.

It beats everything. It leaves the roam of your fancy, your, I live. It beats everything.

It leaves the Rome of your fancy, your education nowhere.

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