Edith Wharton

Edith Wharton was born in New York on 24 January 1862 and died on 11 August 1937 in Saint-Brice-sous-Forêt, France. An acclaimed American writer and poet, she was the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize, awarded in 1921 for her novel The Age of Innocence, a portrayal of the rituals and contradictions of New York’s high society at the close of the nineteenth century. The novel was later adapted into a film directed by Martin Scorsese. Her other notable works include The Valley of Decision, The Custom of the Country, and the short story collection Ghosts, which reflects the influence of her friend and mentor, Henry James.