Rebel Writers:

Edith Wharton

May 19, 2025

Hey Readers!

I’ve been busy hitting the pavement to tour more historic author homes for Volume II of Rebel Writers: The Genius Behind the Pen, set to hopefully publish later this year. I’ve got so many great writers lined up for this one! I wanted to give you a sneak peak, so this week we are going to take a closer look at Rebel Writer, Edith Wharton.

Before Keeping Up With the Kardashians, there was Edith Wharton. But Wharton didn’t need camera crews or confessionals, she documented the spectacle of wealth and emotional toll behind the world of glamour with the blood and ink of her pen. Ruthless, brilliant, and one of the first women to expose the secrets of high society, Wharton didn’t shy away from exposing the cost of all that glitter.

I visited Wharton’s home, The Mount, in Lenox, Massachusetts, on a partly cloudy spring day. Though parts of day were dreary, The Mount was anything but. Nestled amongst the rolling hills of the Berkshires, the stately home sits like a quiet guardian of a bygone era. Today, The Mount is more than a museum, it’s an impressive community for storytelling. Hosting over 100 programs per year, including author talks, live music, children’s programs, tours, readings and more, it’s a must visit for all!

The legacy of Wharton’s life didn’t disappoint. Here’s a sneak peak at some of the things I learned on this adventure. For the full visit, you’ll have to wait for Rebel Writer’s Volume II. In the meantime, don’t forget to check out Rebel Writers: The Genius Behind the Pen, Volume I, where I delve into several other authors including Twain, Alcott, Frost, and more! If you are in the West Hartford, CT area, Barnes & Noble West Hartford has signed editions in stock.

Now, let’s dig right in . . .

1. Edith Wharton was born on January 24, 1862, in New York City to an upper-class family. She was the third child and only daughter of George Frederic and Lucretia Rhinelander Jones. As a child, she was educated by private tutors and governesses at her home and in Europe (the family lived there six years after the American Civil War). It’s been said she was an avid reader.

2. Wharton self-published a book of poetry, Versus, at the young age of 16 when she had her poems privately printed. She also published poems in magazines, including the Atlantic Monthly. Most of her work explored high society life.

3. Wharton’s family fortune came from real estate. Growing up, she often traveled around the world with her parents and brothers. In 1870, the family visited Germany, where Wharton caught typhoid fever. It nearly killed her. It’s said that she also read several ghost stories at this time while recuperating. These ghost stories gave her terrible nightmares. For years after, she would only sleep in a room if a maid was present, and if the light was on.

4. At the age of 17, Wharton “came out” into society, making rounds to dances and parties in Newport and New York. She would later write about these sorts of rituals in her fiction. After two romantic disappointments, society claimed she was entering “old maid” status at the age of 23. That was, of course, until she met Edward Robbins (Teddy) Wharton in 1885.

5. The couple filled their early married years with travel, houses, and dogs. Wharton was a dog lover and, in fact, dogs are allowed on the tour at The Mount (following their rules, of course). You are allowed to explore the home at your leisure, taking in each room at your own pace. The home is massive and includes many exhibits that detail Wharton’s legacy. (Note: all photos of Wharton’s home were taken with my iPhone).

6. Wharton’s husband, Teddy, was twelve years her senior and also a Harvard graduate and sportsman, living off a trust fund. In later years, Teddy’s manic depression and embezzlement of Wharton’s own trust fund to purchase a Boston apartment for his mistress undoubtedly caused problems. Teddy was then institutionalized in 1912. Wharton divorced him in 1913.

7. Wharton’s first novel, The Valley of Decision, was published in 1902, at the age of 40. The historical romance sold around 25,000 copies its first year. This fantastic commercial success paved the way for future novels, including The House of Mirth (1905) and Ethan Frome (1911) amongst several others. Later, her novel, The Age of Innocence (1920), earned her a Pulitzer Prize. Wharton is the first woman to receive one.

8. Wharton had a passion for home and garden design. She built The Mount as a stately home with manicured gardens and a Georgian-revival stable. She is quoted, in a letter to her lover, Morton Fullerton, to have said, “Decidedly, I’m a better landscape gardener than novelist.”

Wondering where Wharton often wrote? What foreign country did she later move to? And more details of her marriage? You’ll have to wait for Volume II to find out, but in the meantime . . . check out these pics.

KEY REFLECTION

One of the key lessons I learned from stepping into Wharton’s life at The Mount is not only can we reinvent ourselves at any age, but only you get to decide who you will be in life. Wharton reminds us that labels and expectations of others only have the power to dictate your choices in life if you let them.

Till Next Time,

Sarah

AKA A Busy Lady

Other News

I just came back from a weekend in Vermont where I was honored to participate in Bookstock! It was wonderful to be surrounded by so many passionate storytellers. Even though sadly, dangerous weather put the event on pause on Saturday, we were able to enjoy the event Friday and Sunday.

I was also able to pick up some retro books at the Bookstock Used Book Sale, and at a short stop to a thrift store in NH. Which one should I read first? Here are just some of my finds.

The Audio version of ALL THESE THREADS OF TIME is coming soon! It’s still in the review process with ACX. I can’t wait for you to hear it! In the meantime, check out this new review!

If you’ve read ALL THESE THREADS OF TIME or REBEL WRITERS: THE GENIUS BEHIND THE PEN, please don’t forget to leave a review. It helps other readers find the book, spreading the power of storytelling to everyone. Thanks in advance!

A Busy Lady