This is so lovely! I don’t remember the first time I read Edith Wharton - I wish I could, although even if I could I would not be able to describe it as well as you do.
I do remember re-reading ‘The Age of Innocence’ at a particularly unsettled time in my life and the beauty and clarity of her words was exactly what I needed at the time.
To my mind, there has never been a more perfect phrase than ‘bursting with the belated eloquence of the inarticulate’. Happy Birthday Edith!
As I’ve previously commented, I’m currently reading House of Mirth for the first time. Your experience described here makes it feel so much more special! These quotes sparkle!
Relatedly: Are you using my reading guide? (It's locked for paid subs, but I'd love to send you one or two of the chapter guides for free, so you can see if you like them!)
This was a beautiful reflection. Thank you for sharing it with us, Haley. I just did my yearly re-watch of The Age Of Innocence and it finally prompted me to read the book. (I’ve been meaning to for ages!) Can’t wait to read your analysis of the book as well! I also want to read The House Of Mirth and The Custom Of The Country. Love that Edith is an Aquarius! 💗
Thank you so much Jenovia! I looooove that film so much -- the Scorsese, yes? No one could've been better cast than Michelle Pfeiffer as Ellen. May and Archer are also phenomenal but damn, I can't get over Ellen!!!
We're reading Custom in my book club later this year!! :) I hope you'll join us! That's a hilarious one.
Yes! The Scorsese! I couldn’t agree more about the casting. And I will most DEF join you for Custom in the book club! I’ll wait to read it until then 😍😍😍
Yay! I've also got a guide to Age of Innocence -- thinking of running that one again sometime. But it's available in the archives, if you ever want to access it! I include a ton of stuff about the film in that guide, because that movie is so damn perfect. haha.
What a lovely tribute. I, too, remember reading The House of Mirth as a freshman - in an upper level lit class I shouldn't have been in. Lucky for me, I had a wonderful professor who led us through The House of Mirth and Chopin's The Awakening with real compassion and insight. And, like you, I remember getting to the end in tears only to open it back up to the beginning. I think I spent a fair part of the next summer reading all the Edith Wharton I could get my hands on.
I loved this column about my favorite book written by my favorite author! Did not realize you had done the slow read and that I’ll be able to access it as a subscriber.
Coincidentally, our local historical museum is presenting a panel discussion for local readers to discuss their favorite classic books while putting them in the context of the time they were written. I had planned to discuss the House of Mirth anyway and then was shocked to see in a brief online perusal what some reviewers had to say about it. For example, “this is a book about a young woman who can’t make up her mind.” Um, wow.
I encourage everyone who hasn’t read it to do so and enjoy, and decide for yourself what it’s really about!
Yes, yes you are able to access the Mirth and the Age of Innocence read-a-longs as a paid subscriber! Please let me know if you have issues with any of the links :)
I love that you're getting a chance to discuss Mirth at your panel. The early reviewers were SO snarky about it! I was likewise blown away the first time I saw some of the first reactions to the novel. They're so mean to Lily!
"And so instead of looking at the murky and nauseating present, I thought about the past. And I realized that I remember, with a kind of shocking clarity, my first experience of reading Edith Wharton."
... and now I need to read The House of Mirth immediately
Last year I first read Wharton and it was under your guidance. What an experience! And I must thank you yet again for that. What a writer Wharton is! I must go back to that two books again. There’s so much packed in them waiting to be unlocked.
Ha! When the email landed, I thought it was referring to Edith Campbell Berry...
lol you know. I wondered if I should've put "Wharton" in the title!
This is so lovely! I don’t remember the first time I read Edith Wharton - I wish I could, although even if I could I would not be able to describe it as well as you do.
I do remember re-reading ‘The Age of Innocence’ at a particularly unsettled time in my life and the beauty and clarity of her words was exactly what I needed at the time.
To my mind, there has never been a more perfect phrase than ‘bursting with the belated eloquence of the inarticulate’. Happy Birthday Edith!
Oh, I love that line so much. And it's Archer, isn't it? Such a perfect line for his particular brand of bumbling.
Thank you for your kind words!! Cheers to Edith!
Edith Wharton is unparalleled.
Absolutely. Yes!
As I’ve previously commented, I’m currently reading House of Mirth for the first time. Your experience described here makes it feel so much more special! These quotes sparkle!
I love that! That novel is so very special.
Relatedly: Are you using my reading guide? (It's locked for paid subs, but I'd love to send you one or two of the chapter guides for free, so you can see if you like them!)
Ah, I loved this post and its sweet homage to the love of literature.
I've never read Wharton before but now I'm going to add some to my TBR!
Thanks for sharing :)
Oh, highly recommend Wharton! She's very TBR worthy!! Mirth is my favorite, but The Age of Innocence is also a fantastic intro to her work.
Okay I'll definitely check that one out :))
Thanks!!
This was a beautiful reflection. Thank you for sharing it with us, Haley. I just did my yearly re-watch of The Age Of Innocence and it finally prompted me to read the book. (I’ve been meaning to for ages!) Can’t wait to read your analysis of the book as well! I also want to read The House Of Mirth and The Custom Of The Country. Love that Edith is an Aquarius! 💗
Thank you so much Jenovia! I looooove that film so much -- the Scorsese, yes? No one could've been better cast than Michelle Pfeiffer as Ellen. May and Archer are also phenomenal but damn, I can't get over Ellen!!!
We're reading Custom in my book club later this year!! :) I hope you'll join us! That's a hilarious one.
Yes! The Scorsese! I couldn’t agree more about the casting. And I will most DEF join you for Custom in the book club! I’ll wait to read it until then 😍😍😍
Yay! I've also got a guide to Age of Innocence -- thinking of running that one again sometime. But it's available in the archives, if you ever want to access it! I include a ton of stuff about the film in that guide, because that movie is so damn perfect. haha.
Omg cant wait to dig into it 😍 Thank you!
And truly a perfect film. I’ll never stop swooning over it.
I am SO GLAD you followed the page and not your professor’s reading - cheers to EW!!
yes! Cheers to EW being the real teacher here!
What a lovely tribute. I, too, remember reading The House of Mirth as a freshman - in an upper level lit class I shouldn't have been in. Lucky for me, I had a wonderful professor who led us through The House of Mirth and Chopin's The Awakening with real compassion and insight. And, like you, I remember getting to the end in tears only to open it back up to the beginning. I think I spent a fair part of the next summer reading all the Edith Wharton I could get my hands on.
Hi Patricia -- I love that! I bet the pairing of Wharton with Chopin was incredible. I love that you spent a whole summer with Edith!
I loved this column about my favorite book written by my favorite author! Did not realize you had done the slow read and that I’ll be able to access it as a subscriber.
Coincidentally, our local historical museum is presenting a panel discussion for local readers to discuss their favorite classic books while putting them in the context of the time they were written. I had planned to discuss the House of Mirth anyway and then was shocked to see in a brief online perusal what some reviewers had to say about it. For example, “this is a book about a young woman who can’t make up her mind.” Um, wow.
I encourage everyone who hasn’t read it to do so and enjoy, and decide for yourself what it’s really about!
Yes, yes you are able to access the Mirth and the Age of Innocence read-a-longs as a paid subscriber! Please let me know if you have issues with any of the links :)
I love that you're getting a chance to discuss Mirth at your panel. The early reviewers were SO snarky about it! I was likewise blown away the first time I saw some of the first reactions to the novel. They're so mean to Lily!
Love this! Did you see this article: https://lithub.com/a-self-made-myth-how-edith-wharton-rewrote-her-own-childhood/
Hi Susan!!! How are you!?
Thank you for this link! Wharton had such a strange, sad childhood. I'm excited to read this.
Love this!
"And so instead of looking at the murky and nauseating present, I thought about the past. And I realized that I remember, with a kind of shocking clarity, my first experience of reading Edith Wharton."
... and now I need to read The House of Mirth immediately
:) Thanks so much for the sweet words, Alison! I hope you LOVE the novel!
Finished The House of Mirth — WOW, you weren’t kidding. Loved it so much. Thanks!
Last year I first read Wharton and it was under your guidance. What an experience! And I must thank you yet again for that. What a writer Wharton is! I must go back to that two books again. There’s so much packed in them waiting to be unlocked.