The Cambridge Introduction to Edith Wharton [Paperback]

An overview of Wharton's work, life, and context, for students of American literature.This accessible and stimulating introduction to Wharton's life and writings guides new readers through her work, to encourage more detailed exploration of her texts and contexts. With its clear structure, illustrations, and guide to further study, this book will form the ideal starting-point for students and for general readers.This accessible and stimulating introduction to Wharton's life and writings guides new readers through her work, to encourage more detailed exploration of her texts and contexts. With its clear structure, illustrations, and guide to further study, this book will form the ideal starting-point for students and for general readers.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 Whartons 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.Preface; 1. Life; 2. Contexts; 3. Works; 4. Critical reception; Guide to further reading; Index.'For anyone coming to Edith Wharton's works for the first time, this will prove an invaluable guide.' Contemporary Review