“The noble buoyancy of her attitude, its suggestion of soaring grace, revealed the touch of poetry in her beauty that Selden always felt in her presence, yet lost the sense of when he was not with her. Its expression was now so vivid that for the first time he seemed to see before him the real Lily Bart, divested of all the trivialities of her little world, and catching for a moment a note of that eternal harmony of which her beauty was a part.”
Edith Wharton's classic novel delves into the complexities of high society, following the life of Lily Bart, a young woman who navigates the intricate web of relationships and expectations in the Gilded Age. The story is rich in detail, offering a critical examination of the era's values and the limitations placed on women. more
American novelist known for her delicate psychological portrayals and profound social insights. Edith Wharton came from a wealthy New York family and her works mainly reflect the American society at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. Her representative works include 'The Age of Innocence' and 'The House of Mirth' among others. more
“But he could never be long without trying to find a reason for what she was doing . . .”
“Edith Wharton did have one potentially redeeming disadvantage: she wasn’t pretty.”
“Faith is a question of eyesight; even the blind can see that.”
“Wharton thought no one could have freedom, but James knew no one wanted freedom.”