Wharton scholars spearheaded by Waid (English, U. of California, Santa Barbara) provide a chronology, background, sources, and reviews of her Pulitzer Prize-winning 1920 novel depicting New York society in transition. Illustrations relate to the book's dramatization and sites of interest. Annotation (c) Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
"Contexts" constructs the historical foundation for this veryhistorical novel. Many documents are included on the "New York FourHundred," elite social gatherings, archery (the sport for upper-crustdaughters), as well as Wharton's manuscript outlines, letters, andrelated writings."Criticism" collects eleven American and British contemporary reviewsand nine major essays on The Age of Innocence, including agroundbreaking piece on the two film adaptations of the novel."A Chronology andSelected Bibliography" are also included.
The text of Wharton's richly allusive Pulitzer Prize-winning 1921 novelof desire and its implications in Old New York has been rigorouslyannotated by a prominent Wharton scholar.