Ethan Frome and Related Readings

by Edith Wharton

Related reading included:

The Hill Wife and Old Man's Winter Night , poems by Robert Frost,
Stolen Day , short story by Sherwood Anderson,
Fatal Coasting Accident , newspaper article from The Berkshire Evening Eagle,
Snow, poem by Naomi Shihab Nye,
from Strong-Minded Women, first-hang accounts edited by Janet Horrowitz Murray

174 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Edith Wharton emerged as one of America’s most insightful novelists, deftly exposing the tensions between societal expectation and personal desire through her vivid portrayals of upper-class life. Drawing from her deep familiarity with New York’s privileged “aristocracy,” she offered readers a keenly observed and piercingly honest vision of Gilded Age society.
Her work reached a milestone when she became the first woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, awarded for The Age of Innocence. This novel highlights the constraining rituals of 1870s New York society and remains a defining portrait of elegance laced with regret.
Wharton’s literary achievements span a wide canvas. The House of Mirth presents a tragic, vividly drawn character study of Lily Bart, navigating social expectations and the perils of genteel poverty in 1890s New York. In Ethan Frome, she explores rural hardship and emotional repression, contrasting sharply with her urban social dramas.
Her novella collection Old New York revisits the moral terrain of upper-class society, spanning decades and combining character studies with social commentary. Through these stories, she inevitably points back to themes and settings familiar from The Age of Innocence. Continuing her exploration of class and desire, The Glimpses of the Moon addresses marriage and social mobility in early 20th-century America. And in Summer, Wharton challenges societal norms with its rural setting and themes of sexual awakening and social inequality.
Beyond fiction, Wharton contributed compelling nonfiction and travel writing. The Decoration of Houses reflects her eye for design and architecture; Fighting France: From Dunkerque to Belfort presents a compelling account of her wartime observations. As editor of The Book of the Homeless, she curated a moving, international collaboration in support of war refugees.
Wharton’s influence extended beyond writing. She designed her own country estate, The Mount, a testament to her architectural sensibility and aesthetic vision. The Mount now stands as an educational museum celebrating her legacy.
Throughout her career, Wharton maintained friendships and artistic exchanges with luminaries such as Henry James, Sinclair Lewis, Jean Cocteau, André Gide, and Theodore Roosevelt—reflecting her status as a respected and connected cultural figure.
Her literary legacy also includes multiple Nobel Prize nominations, underscoring her international recognition. She was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature more than once.
In sum, Edith Wharton remains celebrated for her unflinching, elegant prose, her psychological acuity, and her capacity to illuminate the unspoken constraints of society—from the glittering ballrooms of New York to quieter, more remote settings. Her wide-ranging work—novels, novellas, short stories, poetry, travel writing, essays—offers cultural insight, enduring emotional depth, and a piercing critique of the customs she both inhabited and dissected.

Reviews

[Emma Bennett · Rating 3 out of 5]

This man is a cheater!!!!!

[Nati · Rating 3 out of 5]

the pickles and donuts combo for dinner went crazy

[samantha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Zeena needs to enter her reputation era men ain't shit fr ☹️

[Chelsea]

Novel, "Ethan Frome", Edith Wharton: The prologue didn't grip me but the rest of the story got better.

Short story, "The Painted Door", Sinclair Ross: I don't know my thoughts on this yet...

Poem, "Desert Places", Robert Frost: Beautiful short poem, I love it. I've read a few Robert Frost poems and plan on reading more.

Poem, "The Snow Man", Wallace Stevens: I don't know if this went over my head or..??

Essay, "Confessions of a Hypochondriac", Barbara Graham: I really found this interesting and if she has written more essays like this one, I want to read it.

Short Story, "Adventure", Sherwood Anderson: This one I really loved and *chefs kiss*

Poem, "Mirage", Christina Rossetti: This was beautiful.

Short Story, "Dreams", Marie G. Lee: It was good, I appreciated the story.

[Kaley · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was actually an intriguing book for it to be assigned by my English class.

[Veronica Perdomo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would have been five stars hands-down if I weren't so impartial towards some of the characters. Ethan is sympathetic, certainly, but for reasons I will later explain I remain lukewarm about him. Same thing with Mattie.

I'm going to reserve further comment until after we've all read it together, but suffice it to say I adore this book, as I have from the first time I picked it up. Each reading reveals something new in which to delight, some previously undiscovered detail or turn of phrase to elicit a new shudder of appreciation.