Edith Wharton's second (and perhaps best-known) novel follows the story of Lily Bart, a youthful and well-born socialite in New York City, who descends from an enviable perch of privilege to a tragic and lonely existence on the margins of society.  Serialized in Scribner's Magazine for eleven months in 1905, where it found an avid readership among both women and men, The House of Mirth has been described by scholar Carol Singley as "a unique blend of romance, realism, and naturalism, [thereby transcending] the narrow classification of a novel of manners".  The novel's legacy has continued well into the twenty-first century, as the 2000 film adaptation by Terence Davies and the 2020 novel, White Ivy, by Susie Yang attest.

Want to read this month’s Literary Circle book choice and enjoy using an e-reader? You can read The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton for free when you join our eBook Club! See here for more information about the eBook-Club and how to sign up and access hundreds of gratis books and audiobooks! 

Learn more about the Amerikahaus Literary Circle.

Photo: ©Amerikahaus München