The Custom of the Country

Name: The Custom of the Country
Author: Edith Wharton

By Edith Wharton

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American Literature Novels

About This Book

A young woman from modest origins deliberately pursues social and financial elevation, using charm, strategic marriages, and calculated relationships to penetrate metropolitan high society. The narrative traces her restless appetite for style and comfort as she adapts to and exploits social customs, reshaping herself to fit shifting fashions and alliances. Through satiric observation of salons, parties, and domestic arrangements, it exposes transactional marriage, consumerism, and the moral costs of ambition. Its structure follows successive phases of ascent and disillusion, combining sharp social comedy with pointed psychological detail.

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.