Edith Wharton as a Child
In honor of the 150th anniversary of Edith Wharton’s birth, the New York Society Library curated a small, pleasing exhibit,“Edith Wharton’s New York City: A Backward Glance.”
I’m always interested in learning all I can about favorite authors. I guess I’m a bit obsessed with the stories behind the great stories. Or is it that I hope to find the secret to literary greatness? Whatever it is, if there’s an exhibit featuring a beloved idol, I go running.
Even though Wharton lived most of her adult life abroad, many of her most important novels were set in New York. The exhibit shows how the city inspired her work.
The exhibit also focuses on Wharton’s family’s links to the library, which was founded in 1754. Edith Wharton’s father, George Frederic Jones, was a shareholder who often visited the library to borrow books. A page from his borrowing registry is included in the display.
Correspondence, family photographs and early edition books are also displayed.
New York Society Library, 53 East 79th Street New York, NY 10075
Edith Wharton, New York Society Library, Manhattan, New York City, New York, George Fredric Jones
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