Spotlight–Edith Wharton

Edith Wharton was born Edith Newbold Jones on January 24, 1862 in New York and died August 11,1937  in France. She had two brothers and lived a life of privilege and travel. In 1885, she married Edward Wharton. He was 12 years-older and was from a well-established Boston family who shared her love of travel, but little else. He suffered from terrible depression that eventually became much worse and they divorced in 1913. During their marriage she built an estate, The Mount, in Lenox, Massachusetts that showcased her design principles and love of gardening. After her divorce she permanently moved to France where she became involved in detailing the war on the front lines. She wrote a series of articles called, Fighting France: From Dunkerque to Belfort. She worked tirelessly in charitable organizations and in 1916 was named a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor in recognition of her efforts. Wharton wrote and published 22 novels, a variety of short stories, poetry and non-fiction. Though Wharton grew up within the upper class she became, through, her literature, one of their toughest critics. She portrayed the reality and expectations for men and women. In one of my favorites, Ethan Frome , she used a harsher tone that conveys the feeling of lower-class rural Massachusetts. She was an accomplished woman who spoke fluent French and was a close friend of writer Henry James. Wharton wrote about  social constraints and the pursuit of happiness and the differences in between.
The Age of Innocence published in 1920 won the Pulitzer Prize for Literature, giving her the distinction of being the first woman to win this award. In the high society of New York in the 1870′s there are familial connections, history and gossip that keeps everyone in their rightful places. Young lawyer and recently engaged, Newland Archer, becomes entranced with Countess Olenska. Though the Countess is originally from New York she is married and separated from her Polish husband. There is an air of mystery and an artistic temperament that intrigues Archer, however, May, his fiancee is conventional and will let nothing get in her way. If you would like to discuss or hear more about this novel, please join the Saturday Fiction discussion group on January 8 at 1:30.