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Wordsworth Editions Ltd. Used - Good. Good condition. Slightly dampstained.
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Age of Innocence (Wordsworth Classics) (Wordsworth Classics) Paperback - 1997
by Edith Wharton
About this book
Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence is set in upper-class New York City in the 1870s, during the so-called Gilded Age. The novel, which takes its title from artist Joshua Reynolds’ 1785 painting of a little girl, focuses on impending marriage of an upper-class couple: Newland Archer, a distinguished lawyer, and the shy, but lovely May Welland. Enter the bride's cousin, Ellen Olenska, plagued by a scandalous separation from her European husband, a Polish count. The presence of Ellen, a classic femme fatale, threatens the happiness of Newland and May. However, May’s determination must not be undermined as she proceeds to use everything in her power to ensure her marriage to Newland. Though the novel questions the assumptions and morals of the Gilded Age, it never explicitly condemns the era.
…And perhaps it should have. The Age of Innocence won the 1921 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, making Wharton the first woman to win the prize; however, upon being awarded the honor, the novel was praised as “best present[ing] the wholesome atmosphere of American life and the highest standard of American manners and manhood.” Many claimed that even Wharton was taken aback when reviewers failed to see the irony of the title and her social criticism of 1870s New York society.
Of the many film, television, and theatrical adaptations of The Age of Innocence, perhaps most notable is the 1993 film of the same name, directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Michelle Pfeiffer as Countess Ellen Olenska, Daniel Day-Lewis as Newland Archer, and Winona Ryder as May Welland Archer. The film won an Oscar for costume design and Ryder was not only nominated for an Oscar, but won a Golden Globe Award for her portrayal of May Welland Archer.
The Age of Innocence is ranked 58th on Modern Library’s “100 Best” English-language novels of the 20th century and 45th on The Guardian’s list of the 100 best novels.
From the jacket flap
Wharton's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel set in upper class New York City. Newland Archer, gentleman lawyer and heir to one of New York City's best families, is happily anticipating a highly desirable marriage to the sheltered and beautiful May Welland. Yet he finds reason to doubt his choice of bride after the appearance of Countess Ellen Olenska, May's exotic, beautiful 30-year-old cousin, who has been living in Europe. This novel won the first ever Pulitzer awarded to a woman. Widely regarded as one of Edith Wharton's greatest achievements, The Age of Innocence is not only subtly satirical, but also a sometimes dark and disturbing comedy of manners in its exploration of the 'eternal triangle' of love. Set against the backdrop of upper-class New York society during the 1870s, the author's combination of powerful prose combined with a thoroughly researched and meticulous evocation of the manners and style of the period, has delighted readers since the novel's first publication in 1920. In 1921 The Age of Innocence achieved a double distinction - it won the Pulitzer Prize and it was the first time this prestigious award had been won by a woman author.
First Edition Identification
The original price of the book was marked at just $2.00, but first edition, first printings are currently valued at around $35,000 USD. First edition, first printings can be identified by the mark of "(1)" on the last page of text. Additionally, the phrase "Forasmuch as it hath please Almighty God" appears on page 186 of first printings, but the phrase is changed to "Dearly Beloved, we are gathered together here" in later printings. It is believed that the original phrase is included in all first printings as well as some, but not all, of the second printings.
First edition, first printing copies originally had dust jackets featuring a picture of a small Victorian child, thought to be inspired by the child depicted in the 1785 painting by Joshua Reynolds, also titled The Age of Innocence. Wharton was known to sign and inscribe several copies of her work, and those copies of The Age of Innocence are highly valuable.
Details
- Title Age of Innocence (Wordsworth Classics) (Wordsworth Classics)
- Author Edith Wharton
- Binding Paperback
- Edition New edition
- Pages 256
- Language ENG
- Publisher Wordsworth Editions Ltd, San Diego, California, U.S.A.
- Date August 5, 1997
- ISBN 9781853262104
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The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton (Wordsworth Classics)
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The Age of Innocence
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The Age of Innocence
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Wordsworth Editions, 1997. Paperback. Good. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
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The Age of Innocence
by Edith Wharton
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Wordsworth Editions, Limited, 1994. Paperback. Good. Missing dust jacket; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
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The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton (Wordsworth Classics)
by Wharton, Edith
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UsedAcceptable. The item is very worn but continues to work perfectly. Signs of wear can include aesthetic issues such as scratches, dents, worn and creased covers, folded page corners and minor liquid stains. All pages and the cover are intact, but the dust cover may be missing. Pages may include moderate to heavy amount of notes and highlighting, but the text is not obscured or unreadable. Page edges may have foxing (age related spots and browning). May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.
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The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton (Wordsworth Classics)
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Age of Innocence (Wordsworth Classics) (Wadsworth Collection)
by Edith Wharton
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Age of Innocence (Wordsworth Classics) (Wadsworth Collection)
by Edith Wharton
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