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The Greater Inclination
A selection of 8 short
The Muse's Tragedy
A Journey
The Pelican
Souls Belated
A Coward
The Twilight of the Gods
A Cup of Cold Water
The Portrait
The Muse's Tragedy
A Journey
The Pelican
Souls Belated
A Coward
The Twilight of the Gods
A Cup of Cold Water
The Portrait
254 pages
First published January 1, 1899
23 people are currently reading
157 people want to read
About the author
Edith Wharton
1,284 books5,170 followersEdith 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.
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.
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August 22, 2019
I've read many of Edith Wharton's works lately, so it was obligatory to go to the beginning, in a collection with some of her first short stories. I was expecting to find something inferior to her most famous works but in the end, I can say that these thoughts were largely disproved. Okay, there are a few less good moments in this collection and I didn't find anything special in a few short stories. Next to them, though, are some short stories that are really great. I liked especially the first,The Muse's Tragedy, which is a brief description of unfulfilled love and a revelation, the second, The Journey, which talks about the conflicting feelings of a woman about her ill husband, the fourth, Souls Belated, who tells about the social pressure a couple feels to show what others want to see and above all the A Cup of Cold Water, which I think is the most complete and the one that shows the most the direction the author ultimately followed, one history of financial crime and moral remorse. All stories have their merits but these four are the ones I think they are the most well-written and largely reveal Edith Wharton's enormous writing talent. Overall it is a very good collection that has value not only as a documentary of the beginning of a glorious carrier but also a standalone literary work.
Διάβασα πολλά από τα έργα της Edith Wharton τελευταία, οπότε ήταν επιβεβλημένο να πάω στην αρχή, σε μία συλλογή με μερικά από τα πρώτα διηγήματα της. Περίμενα ότι θα βρω κάτι υποδεέστερο από τα πιο γνωστά έργα της αλλά τελικά μπορώ να πω ότι σε μεγάλο βαθμό διαψεύστηκαν. Εντάξει, υπάρχουν σε αυτή τη συλλογή αρκετές λιγότερο καλές στιγμές, χωρίς να βρίσκω κάτι ιδιαίτερο σε μερικά διηγήματα. Δίπλα σε αυτά, όμως, υπάρχουν μερικά διηγήματα που είναι πραγματικά εξαιρετικά. Ξεχωρίζω το πρώτο, το The Muse's Tragedy, που είναι μία σύντομη περιγραφή ενός ανεκπλήρωτου έρωτα και μιας αποκάλυψης, το δεύτερο, το The Journey, που μιλάει για τα αντικρουόμενα συναισθήματα μιας γυναίκας για τον άρρωστο σύζυγό της, το τέταρτο, το Souls Belated, που λέει για την κοινωνική πίεση που αισθάνεται ένα ζευγάρι για να δείξει αυτό που οι άλλοι θέλουν να βλέπουν και πάνω από όλα το A Cup of Cold Water, που είναι νομίζω το πιο ολοκληρωμένο και αυτό που δείχνει περισσότερο την κατεύθυνση που η συγγραφέας τελικά ακολούθησε, μία ιστορία οικονομικού εγκλήματος και ηθικής μεταμέλειας. Όλα τα διηγήματα έχουν τις αρετές τους αλλά αυτά τα τέσσερα είναι πού είναι κατά τη γνώμη μου τα πιο καλογραμμένα και αποκαλύπτουν σε μεγάλο βαθμό το τεράστιο συγγραφικό ταλέντο της Edith Wharton. Γενικότερα είναι μία πολύ καλή συλλογή που αξίζει όχι μόνο σαν ένα ντοκουμέντο του ξεκινήματος μιας ένδοξης πορείας αλλά και ως ένα αυτόνομο λογοτεχνικό έργο.
Διάβασα πολλά από τα έργα της Edith Wharton τελευταία, οπότε ήταν επιβεβλημένο να πάω στην αρχή, σε μία συλλογή με μερικά από τα πρώτα διηγήματα της. Περίμενα ότι θα βρω κάτι υποδεέστερο από τα πιο γνωστά έργα της αλλά τελικά μπορώ να πω ότι σε μεγάλο βαθμό διαψεύστηκαν. Εντάξει, υπάρχουν σε αυτή τη συλλογή αρκετές λιγότερο καλές στιγμές, χωρίς να βρίσκω κάτι ιδιαίτερο σε μερικά διηγήματα. Δίπλα σε αυτά, όμως, υπάρχουν μερικά διηγήματα που είναι πραγματικά εξαιρετικά. Ξεχωρίζω το πρώτο, το The Muse's Tragedy, που είναι μία σύντομη περιγραφή ενός ανεκπλήρωτου έρωτα και μιας αποκάλυψης, το δεύτερο, το The Journey, που μιλάει για τα αντικρουόμενα συναισθήματα μιας γυναίκας για τον άρρωστο σύζυγό της, το τέταρτο, το Souls Belated, που λέει για την κοινωνική πίεση που αισθάνεται ένα ζευγάρι για να δείξει αυτό που οι άλλοι θέλουν να βλέπουν και πάνω από όλα το A Cup of Cold Water, που είναι νομίζω το πιο ολοκληρωμένο και αυτό που δείχνει περισσότερο την κατεύθυνση που η συγγραφέας τελικά ακολούθησε, μία ιστορία οικονομικού εγκλήματος και ηθικής μεταμέλειας. Όλα τα διηγήματα έχουν τις αρετές τους αλλά αυτά τα τέσσερα είναι πού είναι κατά τη γνώμη μου τα πιο καλογραμμένα και αποκαλύπτουν σε μεγάλο βαθμό το τεράστιο συγγραφικό ταλέντο της Edith Wharton. Γενικότερα είναι μία πολύ καλή συλλογή που αξίζει όχι μόνο σαν ένα ντοκουμέντο του ξεκινήματος μιας ένδοξης πορείας αλλά και ως ένα αυτόνομο λογοτεχνικό έργο.
January 7, 2009
Edith Wharton (January 24, 1862 – August 11, 1937) wrote the stories contained in “The Greater Inclination” and had the volume published in March of 1899. In many ways this was her first work of literature. Mrs. Wharton had written “Fast and Loose” in 1876, it wasn’t published until 1938, after she had died. She also had privately published a book of poetry titled “Verses” in 1878, and published a non-fictional work titled “The Decoration of Houses” which she co-authored with Ogden Codman in 1897. Thus, while she was no stranger to writing this was an important start to her career as an author of literature.
“The Greater Inclination” consists of 8 works, 7 works of short fiction, and one two-act play. It is a somewhat diverse collection with several stories which touch on aspects of human relationships and interactions, a very dark story which delves into the psyche, and a light and humorous story included as well. In all, it is a very strong first effort and well worth reading. The stories included are:
“The Muse’s Tragedy” – In this story, the young man Danyers falls for Mrs. Anerton even before he meets her, because he believes that she is the Silvia of which the famous poet Vincent Rendle wrote. He learns what he can of her, and travels to Europe, though far from certain that he will encounter her there. He is fortunate though, and they do meet. For a month they are together at Villa d’ Este, and they agree to meet again in Venice after six weeks apart. The story finishes with a letter from Mrs. Anerton written after their meeting in Venice, where she explains to Danvers her feelings and the reasons for not returning to Venice after promising to do so.
“A Journey” – This is a dark, almost Poe-like story of a woman returning from Colorado to New York City with her dying husband. Through her thoughts, we learn how they grew apart when her husband became sick, and how they travelled to Colorado for his health, but now that the doctors have given up and have allowed him to return to New York to die. It is on the morning of the last day of their travels where she discovers that he has passed away, and her fear of being put off the train with his lifeless body causes her to pretend to others that he is merely very sick. As the day slowly passes, she becomes more and more nervous about being found out.
“The Pelican” - The narrator tells the humorous story of Mrs. Amyot, a woman who decides she must give lectures in order to pay for the expense of raising her son and putting him through school after his father has died when he was just six months of age. Unfortunately, Mrs. Amyot’s lectures are about what she wants to say, more than they are about the facts of the subject. As the years pass, the narrator encounters Mrs. Amyot again and again, she always tells him how nervous he makes her, and how she is doing these lectures for her son. She even has the narrator help her in preparing lectures when her popularity has waned, and he helps her find new audiences out west. Many years later, he finds she is still lecturing, still supposedly for the benefit of her son. He attends her lecture one more time, this time with an unusual guest.
“Souls Belated” - Lydia is travelling with the man she loves, Gannett, after having left her husband, Tillotson, and receiving notice that he was divorcing her. They are at first unable to discuss the situation, each seeking refuge elsewhere, he in reading, she in observing others and hoping to not be alone while travelling. Eventually they are able to speak, and they try to setup their new life together. However, they are held back by their circumstances. Though able to live a lie initially, due to others being focused on another couple (the Lintons, who are actually Lord Trevenna and Mrs. Cope) who are in similar circumstances, eventually through a confrontation with Mrs. Cope Lydia learns that her secret can easily be found out. Again she and Gannett search for a solution for how they can be together without being forced to live a lie, or is it better to end their relationship?
“A Coward” - Vibart meets Irene Carstyle’s mother whose manner tells him a lot about herself. She seems to resent her husband’s decisions which have led to her position, but he learns that the main decision Mr. Carstyle made was very honourable and even heroic. He makes himself a frequent guest of the Carstyle’s, more to see Mr. Carstyle than Irene. When an unusual event occurs where Mr. Carstyle attempts to stop what he thinks are runaway horses and is then disappointed when they are not, Vibart learns the story of what happened in Mr. Carstyle’s past to make him want to be heroic.
“The Twilight of the God” - This is a short play which opens with Isabel reading and Lucius Warland returning from sailing. Lucius has just learned that he needs to go to Washington and is surprised to find Marion Raynor has gone before he can say goodbye. Marion has left the list of people who are coming to dinner, and Lucius is very excited to learn that John Oberville is on it. Oberville is a man of great power and connections who could get Lucius the position that he wants. He also is a man who was in love with, and who was loved by Isabel, Lucius’s wife, and Lucius also learns the reason why they didn’t marry even though they both loved each other.
“A Cup of Cold Water” - Woburn intends to marry Miss Talcott and her wealth. He borrows money and then steals it when he loses in the market. He is about $50,000 in debt due to what is essentially theft, and he is about to be found out from an audit; so he decides to leave town. He decides to meet Miss Talcott one last time, but is surprised when he arrives at the ball that those who are there appear so unimportant. He observes her from afar, before giving up the falseness of that life. Later, as he stays in a cheap hotel to avoid spending a night on the ship he is taking to escape, he hears the crying of a woman (Ruby Glenn) and the click of a revolver, which causes him to try to help her when she appears on the verge of committing suicide. In his desire to help her, he forgets his own difficulties for a brief period, and ultimately her story helps him to decide what to do in dealing with his own personal crisis.
“The Portrait” - A group is discussing the pictures of Lillo, and his failure with his portrait of Vard, when Lillo himself is introduced. Later, he leaves with the narrator and discusses the circumstances of his failure, and why it was done on purpose.
“The Greater Inclination” consists of 8 works, 7 works of short fiction, and one two-act play. It is a somewhat diverse collection with several stories which touch on aspects of human relationships and interactions, a very dark story which delves into the psyche, and a light and humorous story included as well. In all, it is a very strong first effort and well worth reading. The stories included are:
“The Muse’s Tragedy” – In this story, the young man Danyers falls for Mrs. Anerton even before he meets her, because he believes that she is the Silvia of which the famous poet Vincent Rendle wrote. He learns what he can of her, and travels to Europe, though far from certain that he will encounter her there. He is fortunate though, and they do meet. For a month they are together at Villa d’ Este, and they agree to meet again in Venice after six weeks apart. The story finishes with a letter from Mrs. Anerton written after their meeting in Venice, where she explains to Danvers her feelings and the reasons for not returning to Venice after promising to do so.
“A Journey” – This is a dark, almost Poe-like story of a woman returning from Colorado to New York City with her dying husband. Through her thoughts, we learn how they grew apart when her husband became sick, and how they travelled to Colorado for his health, but now that the doctors have given up and have allowed him to return to New York to die. It is on the morning of the last day of their travels where she discovers that he has passed away, and her fear of being put off the train with his lifeless body causes her to pretend to others that he is merely very sick. As the day slowly passes, she becomes more and more nervous about being found out.
“The Pelican” - The narrator tells the humorous story of Mrs. Amyot, a woman who decides she must give lectures in order to pay for the expense of raising her son and putting him through school after his father has died when he was just six months of age. Unfortunately, Mrs. Amyot’s lectures are about what she wants to say, more than they are about the facts of the subject. As the years pass, the narrator encounters Mrs. Amyot again and again, she always tells him how nervous he makes her, and how she is doing these lectures for her son. She even has the narrator help her in preparing lectures when her popularity has waned, and he helps her find new audiences out west. Many years later, he finds she is still lecturing, still supposedly for the benefit of her son. He attends her lecture one more time, this time with an unusual guest.
“Souls Belated” - Lydia is travelling with the man she loves, Gannett, after having left her husband, Tillotson, and receiving notice that he was divorcing her. They are at first unable to discuss the situation, each seeking refuge elsewhere, he in reading, she in observing others and hoping to not be alone while travelling. Eventually they are able to speak, and they try to setup their new life together. However, they are held back by their circumstances. Though able to live a lie initially, due to others being focused on another couple (the Lintons, who are actually Lord Trevenna and Mrs. Cope) who are in similar circumstances, eventually through a confrontation with Mrs. Cope Lydia learns that her secret can easily be found out. Again she and Gannett search for a solution for how they can be together without being forced to live a lie, or is it better to end their relationship?
“A Coward” - Vibart meets Irene Carstyle’s mother whose manner tells him a lot about herself. She seems to resent her husband’s decisions which have led to her position, but he learns that the main decision Mr. Carstyle made was very honourable and even heroic. He makes himself a frequent guest of the Carstyle’s, more to see Mr. Carstyle than Irene. When an unusual event occurs where Mr. Carstyle attempts to stop what he thinks are runaway horses and is then disappointed when they are not, Vibart learns the story of what happened in Mr. Carstyle’s past to make him want to be heroic.
“The Twilight of the God” - This is a short play which opens with Isabel reading and Lucius Warland returning from sailing. Lucius has just learned that he needs to go to Washington and is surprised to find Marion Raynor has gone before he can say goodbye. Marion has left the list of people who are coming to dinner, and Lucius is very excited to learn that John Oberville is on it. Oberville is a man of great power and connections who could get Lucius the position that he wants. He also is a man who was in love with, and who was loved by Isabel, Lucius’s wife, and Lucius also learns the reason why they didn’t marry even though they both loved each other.
“A Cup of Cold Water” - Woburn intends to marry Miss Talcott and her wealth. He borrows money and then steals it when he loses in the market. He is about $50,000 in debt due to what is essentially theft, and he is about to be found out from an audit; so he decides to leave town. He decides to meet Miss Talcott one last time, but is surprised when he arrives at the ball that those who are there appear so unimportant. He observes her from afar, before giving up the falseness of that life. Later, as he stays in a cheap hotel to avoid spending a night on the ship he is taking to escape, he hears the crying of a woman (Ruby Glenn) and the click of a revolver, which causes him to try to help her when she appears on the verge of committing suicide. In his desire to help her, he forgets his own difficulties for a brief period, and ultimately her story helps him to decide what to do in dealing with his own personal crisis.
“The Portrait” - A group is discussing the pictures of Lillo, and his failure with his portrait of Vard, when Lillo himself is introduced. Later, he leaves with the narrator and discusses the circumstances of his failure, and why it was done on purpose.
July 4, 2023
FINALLY COMPLETED
✔ The Muse’s Tragedy (52 m)(29/06/23)
✔ A Journey (40 m)(11/01/23)
✔ The Pelican (70 m)(11/01/23)
✔ Souls Belated (1.5 hr)(29/06/23)
✔ A Coward (1.5 hr)(04/07/23)
✔ The Twilight of the God (a play)(LibriVox)(04/07/23)
✔ A Cup of Cold Water (1.5 hr)(24/01/23)
✔ The Portrait (55 m)(12/01/23)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
✔ The Muse’s Tragedy (52 m)(29/06/23)
✔ A Journey (40 m)(11/01/23)
✔ The Pelican (70 m)(11/01/23)
✔ Souls Belated (1.5 hr)(29/06/23)
✔ A Coward (1.5 hr)(04/07/23)
✔ The Twilight of the God (a play)(LibriVox)(04/07/23)
✔ A Cup of Cold Water (1.5 hr)(24/01/23)
✔ The Portrait (55 m)(12/01/23)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
November 24, 2019
Souls Belated is the standout story. The rest are OK.
February 20, 2023
Overall, I much preferred this to Crucial Instances, the other short story collection of Wharton’s I’ve read.
“The Muse’s Tragedy” - This one was very aptly named. I enjoyed it, particularly her letter in the final part.
“A Journey” - I think I read it with more of a supernatural leaning than intended. But regardless, very unnerving!
“The Pelican” - Why is it called that?? I waited the whole story to find out and nothing! Also damn, Lancelot. Let your mother get her bag.
“Soul’s Belated” - Am I supposed to pleased or disappointed by the ending?? I simply don’t know.
“A Coward” - What an unexpectedly poignant commentary about secret inner lives, guilt, and whether or not one defining moment can ever be lived down.
“The Twilight of the God” - Why are they still seeing each other the next day?? What is her motive??
“A Cup of Cold Water” - I’m so relieved this didn’t end in his suicide. I believe he will keep his promise and write to Ruby and that facing the music, however unpleasant, is a much better ending.
“The Portrait” - A very interesting final story. With a pinch of supernatural elements, you could spy a Dorian Gray leaning.
“The Muse’s Tragedy” - This one was very aptly named. I enjoyed it, particularly her letter in the final part.
“A Journey” - I think I read it with more of a supernatural leaning than intended. But regardless, very unnerving!
“The Pelican” - Why is it called that?? I waited the whole story to find out and nothing! Also damn, Lancelot. Let your mother get her bag.
“Soul’s Belated” - Am I supposed to pleased or disappointed by the ending?? I simply don’t know.
“A Coward” - What an unexpectedly poignant commentary about secret inner lives, guilt, and whether or not one defining moment can ever be lived down.
“The Twilight of the God” - Why are they still seeing each other the next day?? What is her motive??
“A Cup of Cold Water” - I’m so relieved this didn’t end in his suicide. I believe he will keep his promise and write to Ruby and that facing the music, however unpleasant, is a much better ending.
“The Portrait” - A very interesting final story. With a pinch of supernatural elements, you could spy a Dorian Gray leaning.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 12, 2021
Bracketed by two very interesting stories about art, some slightly less interesting stories about people in various moments of decision. More modernist than I expected, less stuffy, long-winded, and 19th century-esque, yet often sketchy and somehow a tad incomplete. Really snappy dialogue, but not as wholly satisfying, to me, as her later novels. Thus some stories are 4 and some 3 stars. Well worth a read.
October 27, 2021
A mixed bag.
This was Wharton's first published collection, and it contains one gem, a few average to above average short stories, and a couple of dogs.
This was Wharton's first published collection, and it contains one gem, a few average to above average short stories, and a couple of dogs.
January 25, 2019
FIRST LINE REVIEW: "Danyers afterwards liked to fancy that he had recognized Mrs. Anerton at once; but that, of course, was absurd, since he had seen no portrait of her - she affected a strict anonymity, refusing even her photograph to the most privileged - and from Mrs. Memorall, whom he revered and cultivated as a friend, he had extracted but the one impressionist phrase: 'Oh, well, she's like one of those old prints where the lines have the value of color.'" A great opening line for introducing one to the early Wharton and a good example of why she was so revered. Articulate, literary, insightful and...fun! An overall great first short-story collection.
January 3, 2022
These are overall pretty good short stories. They usually have a punch line that pays off at the end, at any rate. Sometimes there is a gun that does not fire, though. The style I find to be similar to that of Henry James, which I frankly dislike. But it works surprisingly well in audiobook format. I do not think I would be able to read this stuff as a physical book without throwing it across the room.
May 26, 2022
Entertaining listening 🎶🔰
Another will written adventure thriller short story by Edith Wharton, this is a group of eight short stories of relationships romantic each with its own characters and story line with lots of misdirection, twist, and turns leading to the conclusion. I would recommend this novella to readers of relationships romantic novels 👍🔰. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa as I do because of health issues. 2022 👒😤⌚🗽
Another will written adventure thriller short story by Edith Wharton, this is a group of eight short stories of relationships romantic each with its own characters and story line with lots of misdirection, twist, and turns leading to the conclusion. I would recommend this novella to readers of relationships romantic novels 👍🔰. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa as I do because of health issues. 2022 👒😤⌚🗽
January 19, 2018
This was a pretty good book, though the endings in this one are kinda out of the blue and very abrupt. This being her first foray into writing, however, they are very good and some are amusing, some are thought provoking and some are simply characters studies, which she does quite well. The classic writers are actually quite good!
July 20, 2019
The Muse's Tragedy 🌟🌟🌟
The Journey 🌟🌟🌟🌟
The Pelican 🌟🌟🌟
Souls Belated 🌟🌟🌟🌟
A Coward 🌟🌟🌟
The twillight of the God🌟🌟
A Cup of Cold Water 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
The Portrait 🌟🌟🌟🌟
The Journey 🌟🌟🌟🌟
The Pelican 🌟🌟🌟
Souls Belated 🌟🌟🌟🌟
A Coward 🌟🌟🌟
The twillight of the God🌟🌟
A Cup of Cold Water 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
The Portrait 🌟🌟🌟🌟
August 10, 2020
Listened on Librivox.
Also cannot remember any of these stories offhand... I have slept since then. Probably they are good.
Also cannot remember any of these stories offhand... I have slept since then. Probably they are good.
May 10, 2022
Seven short stories and a 2-act play by one of my favorite authors!
May 3, 2023
I’m not big on short stories but this collection was fantastic. The character arcs, the plots- all well defined and entertaining.
January 29, 2021
Early short story collection. It is consistent with the few other works of the author that I remember reading a long time ago. Depressing and sadness of upper class characters.
December 3, 2016
Such a fun read. "A Journey" is probably my favorite. It always surprises me to see such "modern day" characters in older works. It just goes to show that people are pretty much the same no matter when they live.
Elizabeth Klett does a nice job narrating.
Elizabeth Klett does a nice job narrating.
June 8, 2020
I really don't know what to say about "Greater Inclination", but I know I have to say something, just to tell myself that I've read the book and leave a record of it, no matter how reluctant. I really like each of the stories, especially the first one about a muse' complaint--she's not a real muse, but a professed one. However I don't know what to say about these stories. I probably can say I like them as well as I like Saki's stories or Everlyn Waugh's stories; I probably can say I feel that the life portrayed is so greatly different from my own that I can't really relate very well. And this brings me back to the perpetual question--why do we read fictions? Is it because we want to relate and to find similarity to the characters? Or is it because we want to escape our reality and find a world totally unlike our own?
I like the language so much in this book that I feel a little guilty to point out something I don't like about the author--her view about poverty is rather ridiculous and her view of how to get out of poverty is even more ridiculous. Without a maid, a narrow flight of stairs, reduced dividend, a summer spent in the sultry city without the relief of the cool air of the upper state New York are all considered poverty and poverty is equivalent to desperation. What the author considers poverty is actually the life, I mean the non-desperate life, of more than 90% of the people. Her imagined ways of getting out of poverty are usually a death of a wealthy relative, a selling of an old family painting, the invitation from an idle and rich acquaintance. Honest toil has never been part of her recipe for getting out of poverty. And somehow the author makes me feel that honest toil is really boring and unfit to be described by her crafty words and beautiful sentences.
I like the language so much in this book that I feel a little guilty to point out something I don't like about the author--her view about poverty is rather ridiculous and her view of how to get out of poverty is even more ridiculous. Without a maid, a narrow flight of stairs, reduced dividend, a summer spent in the sultry city without the relief of the cool air of the upper state New York are all considered poverty and poverty is equivalent to desperation. What the author considers poverty is actually the life, I mean the non-desperate life, of more than 90% of the people. Her imagined ways of getting out of poverty are usually a death of a wealthy relative, a selling of an old family painting, the invitation from an idle and rich acquaintance. Honest toil has never been part of her recipe for getting out of poverty. And somehow the author makes me feel that honest toil is really boring and unfit to be described by her crafty words and beautiful sentences.
April 18, 2019
Muses Tragedy
Unrequited love between a poet and his muse.
The Journey
A woman journeys with her ailing husband.
The Pelican
A woman supports her son
Souls Belated
The pressure put on couples to marry.
A Coward
A man recounts his cowardice past
The Twilight of the God
(My least favorite of the bunch)
Past lovers meet under a husbands eye.
A Cup of Cold Water
Redemption song.
The Portrait
One of Whartons earliest short stories.
When a painter paints your flaws
Unrequited love between a poet and his muse.
The Journey
A woman journeys with her ailing husband.
The Pelican
A woman supports her son
Souls Belated
The pressure put on couples to marry.
A Coward
A man recounts his cowardice past
The Twilight of the God
(My least favorite of the bunch)
Past lovers meet under a husbands eye.
A Cup of Cold Water
Redemption song.
The Portrait
One of Whartons earliest short stories.
When a painter paints your flaws
Read
December 18, 2024رتبهبندی داستانها
1. The Muse's Tragedy
2. Souls Belated
3. A Journey
4. A Cup of Cold Water
5. The Twilight of the God
سه داستان دیگه رو کمتر از بالاییها دوست داشتم. و در کل تجربه فوقالعاده و متمایزی برام بود. یادمه وقتی بچه بودم داستانهای کوتاه زیادی رو دوست داشتم ولی به مرور دیدم بهشون برگشت و ازشون فراری شدم چون بنظرم کافی نبودن. این کالکشن دوباره بهم یادآوری کرد که اینکه نویسنده بتونه تشخیص بده داستانش در چه فرمتی و چطور میتونه به بهترین شکل گفته بشه از خود فرمتها مهمتره
1. The Muse's Tragedy
2. Souls Belated
3. A Journey
4. A Cup of Cold Water
5. The Twilight of the God
سه داستان دیگه رو کمتر از بالاییها دوست داشتم. و در کل تجربه فوقالعاده و متمایزی برام بود. یادمه وقتی بچه بودم داستانهای کوتاه زیادی رو دوست داشتم ولی به مرور دیدم بهشون برگشت و ازشون فراری شدم چون بنظرم کافی نبودن. این کالکشن دوباره بهم یادآوری کرد که اینکه نویسنده بتونه تشخیص بده داستانش در چه فرمتی و چطور میتونه به بهترین شکل گفته بشه از خود فرمتها مهمتره
February 6, 2012
A collection of short stories. I thought this was going to be a novel. Finally figured it out by the third story! As always, Wharton is always easy to read. As usual, a story or two will break your heart and one or two will leave you scratching your head. An enjoyable read, but nothing earth shattering.
August 11, 2011
A collection of short stories about upper society individuals in the late 19th century. The situations involved were more varied than the characters themselves, most of whom were challenging, in various ways, the social norms. I learned of this book through a tribute to Wharton's birthday on Writer's Almanac.
February 4, 2015
Edith Wharton's first collection of short stories from 1899, contains some of her most famous stories such as The Muse's Tragedy, A Journey, The Pelican, Belated Souls, and The Portrait. These stories were very well written. They were all concerned with the question of social conventions, and the practical and psychological difficulties of breaking away from them, especially for women.
September 8, 2010
An early collection of short stories. A Cup of Cold Water was my favorite.
February 21, 2016
Intellectual, ironic, interior-design oriented! 1890s cool
August 20, 2012
Eight wonderful short stories, very elegantly written.
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