10 Ways {I Bet} You Connect with Edith Wharton

I am a pretty low maintenance kind of gal.

I'm not a collector of "things."

I do not own (or wear) a lot of jewelry.

I do wear a lot of t-shirts.

My favorite shoes are house slippers.

I do not pay attention to the names on labels.

I am not particularly fond of shopping (unless it is in a used bookstore).

Basically, everything about me screams functional, not fashionable. 

And yet, I feel connected with Edith Wharton. Someone, by all accounts, I should have NOTHING in common with since she lived at the opposite end of the social spectrum as I live.

If you're wondering what you could possibly have in common with her, as well, here are 10 Ways {I Bet} You Connect with Edith Wharton.

1. Do you love animals?

Edith Wharton was an animal lover, too! She had a particular fondness for dogs. In fact, Edith worked alongside the SPCA in NYC to ensure watering bowls were available throughout the city to protect pooches from dehydration. Her love for her own dogs was so strong that she often included them in photographs of herself and even had a cemetery created exclusively for her beloved dogs on the grounds of her Massachusetts estate, The Mount.

2. Do you love the written word? 

Of course you do! And Edith Wharton did, too! She wrote over 100 published works including both fiction and non-fiction! In fact, she was one of the most versatile of writers for her time. She was a poet, an autobiographer, a novelist. She wrote about travel, penned short stories, and even authored a book on architecture. 

3. Were you a late bloomer?

So was Edith Wharton! In fact, Edith did not publish her first novel until she was 40 years old. Afterward, she managed more than a book per year...for the rest of her life. (WOW!)

4. Are you an observer?

So was Edith Wharton! Her writings were based on her observations, most of which were ensconced in the Upper Class of New York society in the early 1900's. One of the reasons why her fiction is so appealing is the characterization of people she knew in real life. 

(Interesting tidbit: The phrase "keeping up with the Joneses" is thought to have originated with her mother's family - THE Joneses!) 

5. Do you consider yourself pro-women?

Edith Wharton was the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for her novel The Age of Innocence. She was also inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 1996 as well as was honored by both the French and Belgian governments for her wartime efforts during WW2 on behalf of women (more information below).

6. Do you enjoy travel?

From childhood, Edith Wharton traveled widely, mostly between Europe and the United States. In fact, she crossed the Atlantic Ocean over 60 times in her lifetime!

7. Do you dance to the beat of your own drum?

Edith Wharton did, too! She rejected the standards of both fashion & etiquette in her time, considering them both superficial and oppressive to women. Tell me that isn't relatable in 2021!

8. Do you enjoy the outdoors?

So did Edith Wharton! Not only was she a gardener in her own right, but she was also acknowledged as a garden designer - so much so that she is published in that genre, as well.

9. Do you watch HGTV, or love Chip & Joanna Gaines?

I imagine that if Edith Wharton were alive today, she would not have much time for watching tv. Instead, she'd have her own show!

Edith was a much admired interior designer and she authored several interior design books during her lifetime. 

10. Are you a champion of causes? Do you think social activism is important?

One of the things I admire most about Edith Wharton was her role during WW1. While people fled hot spots like Paris, Edith continued living there to help with the war effort. Of particular interest was helping women to be able to work and support themselves and their children during the war. 

Feeling a bit more connected?

Check out Edith Wharton's The Custom of the Country Book Box by clicking here. We have only a couple of her book boxes left - a novel + a novel treasure that directly relates to the book. How does it relate to the book? That's for you to unravel as you read!