The House of Mirth

The House of Mirth (1905) is Edith Wharton’s searing study of beauty, wealth, and the social ambitions that both sustain and destroy. In the glittering world of Gilded Age New York, Lily Bart moves with grace and intelligence through drawing rooms and country estates — but her charm is no match for the merciless economy of class, money, and reputation. Trapped between the promise of luxury and the fear of poverty, Lily’s struggle to survive on her own terms becomes one of the most haunting tragedies in American fiction.

This new annotated edition, featuring an extensive foreword by Celia Harrow — Women, Wealth, and the Web of Society — reframes Wharton’s masterpiece for the modern reader. Harrow explores the novel’s central themes: women’s dependence and ambition, the moral economy of reputation, and the double standards that govern gender and class. Through fresh analysis and historical context, she illuminates how The House of Mirth continues to resonate in an age still grappling with inequality, image, and desire.

A timeless critique of privilege and a poignant portrait of a woman who refuses to compromise her integrity, this edition invites readers to rediscover The House of Mirth as both a social document and a profoundly human story.

Includes:

Full unabridged text of The House of Mirth (1905)
New scholarly foreword by Celia Harrow
Modern typography and elegant design by The Possum Crossing Press