After reading The Age of Innocence earlier this year I continued to think “I’d like to read more Edith Wharton” but then a shinny new book would come along and she would get pushed to the back of my mind. This year, I WILL read more Edith Wharton and begin a perpetual challenge of reading said author’s work. I do not want to pressure myself in to finishing by December 31, 2012 and therefore will keep this ongoing. This my own personal challenge but anyone is welcome to join.
Below is a list of her work in publication order from Wikipedia
- The Touchstone, 1900
- The Valley of Decision, 1902
- Sanctuary, 1903
- The House of Mirth, 1905
- Madame de Treymes, 1907
- The Fruit of the Tree, 1907
- Ethan Frome, 1911
- The Reef, 1912
- The Custom of the Country, 1913
- Summer, 1917
- The Marne, 1918
- The Age of Innocence, 1920 (Pulitzer Prize winner)
- The Glimpses of the Moon, 1922
- A Son at the Front, 1923
- Old New York, 1924
- The Mother’s Recompense, 1925
- Twilight Sleep, 1927
- The Children, 1928
- Hudson River Bracketed, 1929
- The Gods Arrive, 1932
- The Buccaneers, 1938
- Fast and Loose, 1938 (first novel, written in 1876–1877)
I read Edith Wharton for the first time (well, actually the second time since we read Ethan Frome in high school)…the first time by choice, that is late last year. I started with Age of Innocence and went straight to House of Mirth. I absolutely love her work. I might just read along with you!
And I think I can download some of these free to my Kindle!! Yeah!
Custom of the Country is WONDERFUL! I think it may be her best (have also read House, Age, and Ethan. Loved the first two. Don't remember liking Ethan but I was 13 which I think is way too young for a Wharton.) Very underrated but a marvelous book.
Wharton is my FAVORITE, so you can imagine how hard it is for me not to join in and read everything right along with you. I have to finish my current project list first before I can go back to reading more of her work.
But there are fabulous titles here. House of Mirth is my favorite, but I also love Ethan Frome. Glimpses of the Moon is different than some of her other titles, but it is also quite wonderful.
Good luck!
I took a Henry James/Edith Wharton seminar in grad school. THought I'd love the former and endure the latter but it was much more the other way around. I loved House of Mirth (just be aware that there's actually a dearth of mirth) and I think it's my favorite. I also liked Glimpses of the Moon, but it lacked the figurative and literal heft of House of Mirth.
Good luck with your challenge, an I look forward to reading your reviews.