Au temps de l'innocence

Name: Au temps de l'innocence
Author: Edith Wharton

By Edith Wharton

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About This Book

The novel traces a young gentleman of privileged urban society whose comfortable engagement to a conventional fiancée is disrupted when an alluring, free-spirited woman from his past reappears. Social rituals, gossip, and rigid codes govern choices, and his private yearnings collide with public duty. The narrative examines marriage, hypocrisy, and the cost of conformity as social expectations shape personal destiny, moving through intimate scenes, formal gatherings, and moral dilemmas to a restrained, elegiac conclusion about lost possibilities and the compromises required to preserve reputation.

About the Author

Edith Wharton

Edith Wharton (1862-1937) was an American novelist, short story writer, and designer, known for her keen observations of the American upper class and her exploration of social mores. Her most celebrated work, "The Age of Innocence," won the Pulitzer Prize in 1921 and reflects her critical perspective on the constraints of society. Wharton's literary contributions extend to various genres, including novels, poetry, and travel writing, with notable titles such as "Ethan Frome" and "A Motor-Flight Through France." Throughout her career, she adeptly navigated themes of love, betrayal, and the complexities of human relationships, establishing her as a significant figure in American literature.