Ethan Frome

Edith Wharton was born in 1862 into the upper stratum of New York society. This environment provided her with ample material for her novels but did not foster her artistic development. Educated by tutors and governesses, her upbringing was geared solely towards marriage. Her own marriage in 1885 to Edward Wharton proved to be an emotional disappointment.

In 1894, Wharton experienced the first of several nervous breakdowns. Despite, or perhaps because of, the strains in her marriage, she began writing fiction, publishing her first story in 1889. Her debut book was a guide to interior decorating, followed by numerous novels and story collections. These works were created while the Whartons lived in Newport and New York, traveled extensively in Europe, and built their grand home, The Mount, in Lenox, Massachusetts.

During her time in Europe, Wharton met Henry James, who became a close friend, traveling companion, and a meticulous critic of her work. Her novel The House of Mirth (1905) achieved both critical acclaim and bestseller status, as did Ethan Frome (1911).

In 1913, the Whartons divorced, and Edith took up permanent residence in France. Her literary focus, however, remained on America, particularly the wealthy New York society of her youth. Her celebrated satirical novel, The Custom of the Country, was published in 1913, and The Age of Innocence earned her the Pulitzer Prize in 1921. In her later years, she garnered the admiration of a new generation of writers, including Sinclair Lewis and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Edith Wharton authored approximately 30 books, including her autobiography, A Backward Glance (1934). She passed away at her villa near Paris in 1937.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.