First published 1977
R.W.B. Lewis opens his portrait with Wharton as a literary force who created The House of Mirth, Ethan Frome, and The Age of Innocence during America's transformative decades. Lewis traces her journey from old New York society through her travels across continents. He examines her creative process and her connections with fellow writers like Henry James and Kenneth Clarke. The biography reveals her passionate romance during middle age, a relationship that reshaped her personal world. Lewis sets Wharton's story against the shifting landscapes of Edwardian England, belle epoque Paris, and the French Riviera during World War I. He shows how she navigated the literary circles of two centuries, positioning herself at the center of cultural change. This Pulitzer Prize winner captures both her public achievements and private transformations.
Genres: biography, literary-criticism, literary-fiction, american-fiction, 20th-century, biography-memoir, 21st-century, academic
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family
Setting: Edwardian England, Paris, French Riviera
Period: America's Transformative Decades
592 pages · Paperback · HarperCollins Publishers