The Cambridge Introduction to Edith Wharton

Born in New York into a world of wealth and privilege, and writing with unique insight into the lives of the rich and fashionable, Edith Wharton was a best-seller in her time, and is now, again, one of the most widely read American authors. This book provides an accessible and stimulating introduction to Wharton's life and writings, to help map her work for new readers, and to encourage more detailed exploration of her texts and contexts. Suggesting a range of perspectives on her most famous novels - The House of Mirth (1905), Ethan Frome (1911), The Custom of the Country (1913) and The Age of Innocence (1920) - it stimulates fresh lines of inquiry, examining these alongside other writings that are now attracting lively critical interest. With its clear structure, illustrations, and guide to further study, this book will form the ideal starting-point for students and for general readers.

List of illustrations	p. vii
Preface	p. ix
Acknowledgements	p. xii
List of abbreviations	p. xiii
Life	p. 1
Edith Wharton (1862-1937): biographical overview	p. 2
Growing up in old New York: family and social contexts	p. 7
Contexts	p. 18
Modernity	p. 18
Palimpsests	p. 21
Transatlantic crossings and the expatriate literary tradition	p. 23
Works	p. 31
General perspectives	p. 31
Turn-of-the-century writings	p. 41
Mapping the modern	p. 56
Culture and consciousness	p. 76
Two American stories	p. 89
The impact of World War I	p. 101
Critical reception	p. 122
Wharton's readers	p. 122
Critical reputation	p. 128
Legacies	p. 136
Notes	p. 138
Guide to further reading	p. 145
Index	p. 150
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

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The Cambridge Introduction to Edith Wharton

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