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    The Age of Innocence
    The Age of Innocence
    The Age of Innocence
    Audiobook12 hours

    The Age of Innocence

    Written by Edith Wharton

    Narrated by Brenda Dayne

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    The Age of Innocenceis author Edith Wharton's 12th novel. It won the1921 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, making it the first novel written by a woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and thus Wharton the first woman to win the prize.

    The story is set in upper-class New York City in the 1870s. The Age of Innocencecenters on an upper-class couple's impending marriage, and the introduction of a woman plagued by scandal whose presence threatens their happiness.

    Though the novel questions the assumptions and morals of 1870s New York society, it never devolves into an outright condemnation of the institution. In fact, Wharton considered this novel an "apology" for her earlier novel, The House of Mirth, which was more brutal and critical.

    The novel is noted for Wharton's attention to detail and its accurate portrayal of how the 19th-century East CoastAmerican upper classlived,and the social tragedy of its plot. Wharton was 58 years old at publication; she had lived in that world and had seen it change dramatically by the end ofWorld War I.

    An Author's Republic audio production.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAuthor's Republic
    Release dateMar 9, 2017
    ISBN9781518944734
    Author

    Edith Wharton

    Edith Wharton was born in 1862 to a prominent and wealthy New York family. In 1885 she married Boston socialite 'Teddy' Wharton but the marriage was unhappy and they divorced in 1913. The couple travelled frequently to Europe and settled in France, where Wharton stayed until her death in 1937. Her first major novel was The House of Mirth (1905); many short stories, travel books, memoirs and novels followed, including Ethan Frome (1911) and The Reef (1912). She was the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Literature with The Age of Innocence (1920) and she was thrice nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature. She was also decorated for her humanitarian work during the First World War.

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    Reviews for The Age of Innocence

    4.5/5

    24 ratings9 reviews

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    • 5/5
      The Age of Innocence offers a compelling portrayal of Gilded Age New York society and explores timeless themes of love, duty, and societal expectations. Wharton's incisive social commentary and rich character development continue to resonate with readers today.
    • 5/5
      May Welland represents the epitome of innocence and adherence to social conventions, while Ellen Olenska embodies freedom and defiance of societal norms. Supporting characters, such as members of New York's high society and members of Newland's family, provide insight into the broader cultural context and the pressures of conformity.
    • 5/5
      Set during a period of rapid social and cultural change in America, the novel examines the clash between tradition and modernity, as well as the tensions between old and new values.
    • 5/5
      Wharton critiques the facade of innocence and purity maintained by the upper echelons of society, revealing the hypocrisy and moral ambiguity that lie beneath the surface.
    • 5/5
      The novel explores the tension between conforming to societal norms and pursuing personal desires. Newland grapples with the constraints of his social class and the expectations placed upon him, ultimately facing the choice between duty and passion.
    • 5/5
      Despite his engagement, Newland finds himself drawn to Ellen's unconventional personality and begins to question the values and expectations of his social circle. Their growing attraction complicates Newland's relationships with both May and Ellen, leading to a series of emotional conflicts and moral dilemmas.
    • 5/5
      Newland becomes increasingly disillusioned with the rigid social customs of upper-class New York society when he meets Countess Ellen Olenska, May's cousin. Ellen is a free-spirited woman who has returned to New York after leaving her abusive husband in Europe.
    • 5/5
      The novel follows the story of Newland Archer, a young lawyer from a wealthy and respected New York family, who is engaged to May Welland, a proper and innocent young woman from a similarly esteemed family.
    • 4/5
      I prefer “the remains of the day” because they didn’t say a lot of what they felt.
      But in this book they say everything they feel and want.
      Times of changed since then, but core issues have not. Do we chase would we want if it is even if it is socially unacceptable, or do we conform to social expectations even if we are not happy and want something else?