Edith Wharton Book summary

 

Edith Newbold Jones was born on the 24th of January in 1862. She was the third child of the illustrious Jones family of New York, whose wealth and fame were such that it inspired the expression “Keeping up with the Joneses." Edith had a troubled relationship with her mother, who was said to have been far less fond of her than her other children, Edith’s elder brothers. Her mother often told Edith that she had a plain look, and commented that she was not beautiful. The Author described her mother as being the ‘best-dressed woman of New York’, and she wished to be like her. This ambition was abandoned in later life as her attention was focussed on higher callings. Edith is said to have become disillusioned with the world of her parents after a particularly painful divorce. She moved to Europe and became deeply involved with the WWI. She ran the American Hostel Association and helped numerous refugees find accommodation, food, employment, and even employment training. She wrote extensively about the war and drafted articles from the very frontiers of the war.

Edith’s contributions towards the war effort were soon honored by the French Government after the culmination of the war. She was made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, the highest civilian honor that can be awarded by the French government. Edith persisted with writing throughout her life despite the protestations and impediments placed before her by her family that believed it was shameful to work for money. She published her first book the age of Purity early in her life. She began writing Age of Innocence almost as soon as WWI ended. Edith Wharton had a long and illustrious career. She became the first female author to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1921.