I'm excited about this year's Met Gala too. While I imagine a fair number of attendees will ignore the theme (as they always do), I look forward to seeing how others will engage with it. I hadn't made the mental connection between the lifespan of a gown and the pursuit of eternal youth in women, but that's a truly sharp observation and I'll be keeping it in mind now.
Also, I happened to receive a copy of The Age of Innocence for my birthday this year... perhaps this is my sign from the universe to pick it up! 🖤
I love the juxtaposition of the Met gala with Lily's dresses - genius! And so excited for The Age of Innocence read-along.
Have you read Trust by Hernan Diaz? It's structured as a series of nested narratives about an astoundingly wealthy New York financier and his wife in the 1930s. Much of the actual plot revolves around the financier's attempts to create a definitive, singular and "truthful" story about himself, and his belief that he can use his immense wealth to "bend reality" to his will. But then this is in constant tension with the formal conventions of the book, where each narrative undercuts or challenges the one that came before it. Anyways, I thought so much of Mirth as I read it and Lily's comments on truth! How truth and who gets to own "truth" is determined by gender roles and wealth... an interesting conversation between the books! would recommend Trust, I thought it was totally dazzling.
Okay: I literally picked up a copy of Trust a few weeks ago because another reader rec’d it based on The House of Mirth!! I’m planning to take it with me on an upcoming weekend getaway. Very excited to read it and see these comparisons!
I'm excited about this year's Met Gala too. While I imagine a fair number of attendees will ignore the theme (as they always do), I look forward to seeing how others will engage with it. I hadn't made the mental connection between the lifespan of a gown and the pursuit of eternal youth in women, but that's a truly sharp observation and I'll be keeping it in mind now.
Also, I happened to receive a copy of The Age of Innocence for my birthday this year... perhaps this is my sign from the universe to pick it up! 🖤
So psyched for the read along!
Me too!!
I love the juxtaposition of the Met gala with Lily's dresses - genius! And so excited for The Age of Innocence read-along.
Have you read Trust by Hernan Diaz? It's structured as a series of nested narratives about an astoundingly wealthy New York financier and his wife in the 1930s. Much of the actual plot revolves around the financier's attempts to create a definitive, singular and "truthful" story about himself, and his belief that he can use his immense wealth to "bend reality" to his will. But then this is in constant tension with the formal conventions of the book, where each narrative undercuts or challenges the one that came before it. Anyways, I thought so much of Mirth as I read it and Lily's comments on truth! How truth and who gets to own "truth" is determined by gender roles and wealth... an interesting conversation between the books! would recommend Trust, I thought it was totally dazzling.
Okay: I literally picked up a copy of Trust a few weeks ago because another reader rec’d it based on The House of Mirth!! I’m planning to take it with me on an upcoming weekend getaway. Very excited to read it and see these comparisons!