The Age Of Innocence

by Wharton, Edith

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.

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.

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The Age of Innocence
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The Age of Innocence

by Edith Wharton

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1920
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New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1920. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fair. The Age of Innocence" by Edith Wharton. First edition, second printing with "(2)" on the last page of text, signifying the printing number. Published by D. Appleton & Company, New York, 1920. Winner of the 1921 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. The book measures 5" x 7.5", 365… Read more about this item
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by Wharton, Edith

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New York: D. Appleton, 1920. There are only three or four American novelists who can be thought of as major," noted Gore Vidal, "and Edith Wharton is one." Listed on Modern Library's 100 greatest novels of the twentieth century. It is the basis for the 1993 Martin Scorsese film, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Winona Ryder, and Miriam Margolyes.
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The Age of Innocence.

The Age of Innocence.

by Wharton, Edith

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1920
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New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1920. "There are only three or four American novelists who can be thought of as major," noted Gore Vidal, "and Edith Wharton is one." Listed on Modern Library's 100 greatest novels of the twentieth century. It is the basis for the 1993 Martin Scorsese film, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Winona Ryder, and… Read more about this item
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by Edith Wharton

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1920
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New York: D. Appleton, 1920 True First Edition, with all the 1st issue points, (1) last page of text.And the paragraph(line7&8) "Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God-" the Rector began...(is present) Book:is complete with is original covers but a nice candidate for rebounding with the covers,like glove leather glued to the edges/corners and restore the color to the spine… Read more about this item
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THE AGE OF INNOCENCE
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THE AGE OF INNOCENCE

by Wharton, Edith

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1920
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New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1920. First Edition, Second Printing. Hardcover. Octavo, 354 [1] pages. In Very Good minus condition. Full binding of red cloth with black lettering. Mild shelf wear. Sun fading to spine. Open tear to head of spine, with the word "The" detaching. Scuffing to front and rear covers. Writing of previous owner on front… Read more about this item
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by Wharton, Edith

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1976
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The Franklin Library, 1976. Limited. Hardcover. Very Good. The Age of Innocence. Written by Edith Wharton. Winner of Pulitzer Prize, 1921. Illustrated by Barnett Plotkin. Published 1976 by The Franklin Library. A Limited Edition. Purple leather, gilt accents, gilded edges, moire silk endpapers, and satin ribbon bookmark.
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The Age Of Innocence

The Age Of Innocence

by Edith Wharton

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2009
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Folio Society, UK, 2009. Hardcover (in Slipcase). Fine Condition/No Dust Jacket. Illustrator: Matthew Woodson. Book Introduction by Rachel Cusk. Size: Large 8vo ( 9 to 11 inches). Item Type: Book. Slipcase is in fine condition. Illustrator: Matthew Woodson..
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The Age of Innocence

by Edith Wharton

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1920
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New York: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers, 1920. Early Reprint. Early reprint. Measuring approximately 7.75" x 5.25" with 364 numbered pages. This book is in good plus condition. Moderate bumping to both ends of spine. Moderate staining to spine. Minor staining to bottom edge of textblock. Front and rear pastedowns have minor staining. Interior pages are bright and clean.… Read more about this item
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The Age of Innocence (Wordsworth Classics)

The Age of Innocence (Wordsworth Classics)

by Wharton, Edith

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ISBN 10
1853262102
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The Age of Innocence (Wordsworth Classics)

The Age of Innocence (Wordsworth Classics)

by Wharton, Edith

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1853262102
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The Age of Innocence (Oxford World's Classics)

The Age of Innocence (Oxford World's Classics)

by Edith Wharton

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February 3, 2006
ISBN 10
0192806629
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265 pp. As new condition. Only defect is slight minor scratches on the back cover.
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The Age of Innocence

by Wharton, Edith

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1991
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New York: Twentieth Century Library; Book-of-the-Month Club, 1991. Hardcover. Near Fine. [6], 353, [7] p.: portrait of the author; 24 cm. Green cloth with gilt-on-black spine title and color paste-down on front cover (reproduction of a painting by Childe Hassam). Dark blue endpapers. A very attractive edition of one of Wharton's most popular books. In Near Fine Condition:… Read more about this item
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The Age of Innocence

by Wharton, Edith

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1993
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002026478x
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Simon & Schuster, 1993. Second printing. Paperback. Good. 366 pp. some curl on the corners, spine has minor crease, previous owners name on first page
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The Age of Innocence

The Age of Innocence

by Edith Wharton

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2004
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ISBN 10
1593080743
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The Age Of Innocence (VMC) (Virago Modern Classics) [Paperback] Wharton, Edith

by Wharton, Edith

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2006-01-19
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ISBN 10
1844083500
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AGE OF INNOCENCE

by Wharton, Edith

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1993-09-02
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ISBN 10
002026478x
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The Age of Innocence
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The Age of Innocence

by Edith Wharton

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1933
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New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1933. First Edition, Second Printing. First edition, second printing with the number 2 on parenthesis on final page of text. Measuring approximately 7.75" x 5.25" with 364 numbered pages. Comes with a brand new facsimile (reproduction) dust jacket for protection and display. This book is in fair condition. Heavy chipping on both… Read more about this item
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The Age of Innocence

The Age of Innocence

by Edith Wharton

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2015
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ISBN 10
1514639211
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CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2015. Paperback. Very Good. Disclaimer:A copy that has been read, but remains in excellent condition. Pages are intact and are not marred by notes or highlighting, but may contain a neat previous owner name. The spine remains undamaged. At ThriftBooks, our motto is: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
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The Age of Innocence

The Age of Innocence

by Edith Wharton

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2004
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ISBN 10
159308143X
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Barnes & Noble, Incorporated, 2004. 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 (Penguin Twentieth Century Classics)

by Edith Wharton

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05/30/1996
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Paperback
ISBN 10
014018970x
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Penguin Classics, 05/30/1996. Paperback. Used; Good. **WE SHIP WITHIN 24 HRS FROM LONDON, UK, 98% OF OUR ORDERS ARE RECEIVED WITHIN 7-10 DAYS. We believe you will be completely satisfied with our quick and reliable service. All orders are dispatched as swiftly as possible! Buy with confidence! Greener Books.
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