A great glimpse at the good and unexpected work some women found to do. I especially love this quote:
“The call on their cooperation had developed unexpected aptitudes which, in some cases, turned them forever from a life of discontented idling, and made them into happy people. Some developed a real genius for organization, and a passion for self-sacrifice that made all selfish pleasures appear insipid.”
I love her self-honesty about not enjoying her rise to the occasion of the war, and missing her friends and her private imaginative space. Many can relate to this.
Thank you for sharing another side of the privileged, lauded and lovelorn Edith Wharton. The Flanner piece must have been commissioned and meticulously edited by Katharine White, whose biography I’m now enjoying.
Oh my heavens — this is wonderful, and extraordinary. I simply had no idea that Wharton had *done* anything other than write. She seems impressive and competent and clear-eyed. And amazing. Like others who have already commented, I love the quote you included on what the wartime practical work meant or didn't to her, and how she felt about it compared to her literary work. Thanks so much for this — I find it inspiring in a way that I can't quite put a finger on yet.
Thank you for your close reading! A lot about her life feels kind of sad to me, but she really was able to do a lot of what she wanted to do, which was to write. And to have literary friendships with other writers, like Henry James.
I find her much more interesting now, having read this, than I did before. I always had the vague idea that she had lived a relatively contained life, somehow. This piece really upends that.
Thanks, I'm so glad! She did have a constrained childhood and young womanhood, but she definitely grew into her own person and left the world of her upbringing far behind.
Just brilliant, Sarah! Ties in beautifully with a little post I am writing about Fanny Prothero, another friend of Henry James’s - but this is terrific. So impressed by Wharton’s war work.
Thank you, Ann! And I can’t wait to read the post on Fanny Prothero, whose name I remember from Henry James’ letters. For some reason I had thought she’d done something in the arts or theater, but I see that’s not right. She was one of the Cambridge Ladies?
I am fascinated by Edith Wharton but haven’t read her books yet. I plan to mend that this year. I enjoy posts about brave women, and authors as well; this was a great read!
I’ve long been a fan of Edith Wharton, especially of The House of Mirth. I, like others commenting here, had no idea of her war relief work and generosity of spirit. So happy to learn this; thank you.
Thank you so much for this post. I didn’t even know I needed to look backwards this morning. Reading about Wharton in the midst of personal sorrows brought me a strange and welcome peace. I love her reluctant fortitude.
Thank you, Natalie! We never know what life will bring, or how we’ll respond. I love your phrase, reluctant fortitude—that’s it, exactly! I think I may have to change my title for this post!
A great glimpse at the good and unexpected work some women found to do. I especially love this quote:
“The call on their cooperation had developed unexpected aptitudes which, in some cases, turned them forever from a life of discontented idling, and made them into happy people. Some developed a real genius for organization, and a passion for self-sacrifice that made all selfish pleasures appear insipid.”
Thanks, Etta! I also love how honest she was about this war work, afterward.
I love her self-honesty about not enjoying her rise to the occasion of the war, and missing her friends and her private imaginative space. Many can relate to this.
I was struck by her honesty and self-awareness too. It would have been easy to say something else, something more self-aggrandizing, but she didn’t.
Thank you for sharing another side of the privileged, lauded and lovelorn Edith Wharton. The Flanner piece must have been commissioned and meticulously edited by Katharine White, whose biography I’m now enjoying.
Yes, so interesting to think of the New Yorker in its early years! How is the biography? I must add that to the TBR list!
Wonderful.
Oh my heavens — this is wonderful, and extraordinary. I simply had no idea that Wharton had *done* anything other than write. She seems impressive and competent and clear-eyed. And amazing. Like others who have already commented, I love the quote you included on what the wartime practical work meant or didn't to her, and how she felt about it compared to her literary work. Thanks so much for this — I find it inspiring in a way that I can't quite put a finger on yet.
Thank you for your close reading! A lot about her life feels kind of sad to me, but she really was able to do a lot of what she wanted to do, which was to write. And to have literary friendships with other writers, like Henry James.
I find her much more interesting now, having read this, than I did before. I always had the vague idea that she had lived a relatively contained life, somehow. This piece really upends that.
Thanks, I'm so glad! She did have a constrained childhood and young womanhood, but she definitely grew into her own person and left the world of her upbringing far behind.
Just brilliant, Sarah! Ties in beautifully with a little post I am writing about Fanny Prothero, another friend of Henry James’s - but this is terrific. So impressed by Wharton’s war work.
Thank you, Ann! And I can’t wait to read the post on Fanny Prothero, whose name I remember from Henry James’ letters. For some reason I had thought she’d done something in the arts or theater, but I see that’s not right. She was one of the Cambridge Ladies?
Yes, she was one of the twelve! I'm just doing a little sketch of her in wartime - so it was great reading your post.
Oh, good! Look forward to reading!
I am fascinated by Edith Wharton but haven’t read her books yet. I plan to mend that this year. I enjoy posts about brave women, and authors as well; this was a great read!
I’m fascinated too (hence my posts on her)! If you want to start with a Wharton novel that’s not too tragic, read The Age of Innocence.
I’ve long been a fan of Edith Wharton, especially of The House of Mirth. I, like others commenting here, had no idea of her war relief work and generosity of spirit. So happy to learn this; thank you.
Thank you for reading! She led a brave and fascinating (yes, also very privileged) life.
I knew none of these things about Wharton. Thanks for sharing.
She had a pretty fascinating life, beyond writing some great novels and stories. Thanks for reading!
This was a great read! Thank you for sharing
Thank you for reading! 💕
Thank you so much for this post. I didn’t even know I needed to look backwards this morning. Reading about Wharton in the midst of personal sorrows brought me a strange and welcome peace. I love her reluctant fortitude.
Thank you, Natalie! We never know what life will bring, or how we’ll respond. I love your phrase, reluctant fortitude—that’s it, exactly! I think I may have to change my title for this post!