for good measure. Her writing is peppered with incisive social detail, helping the backdrop to each story breathe as deeply as the characters. A superb book for those who want to get to know this extraordinary novelist a little better. Edith Wharton (1862 – 1937) was an American designer and novelist. Born in an era when the highest ambition a woman could aspire to was a good marriage, Wharton went on to become one of America’s most celebrated authors. During her career, she wrote over 40 books, using her wealthy upbringing to bring authenticity and detail to stories about the upper classes. She moved to France in 1923, where she continued to write until her death.