Overview

What if everything you were told to want turned out to be hollow-and you still couldn't stop chasing it? In The Custom of the Country, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edith Wharton delivers one of the most ruthless and prescient social satires of modern literature. At the center of this novel is Undine Spragg-young, beautiful, and ruthlessly ambitious. Escaping her Midwestern roots, she arrives in New York with one goal: to rise to the top of high society, no matter the cost. Undine's journey through the glittering yet rigid world of Old Money and European aristocracy reveals the inner workings of social mobility, the commodification of marriage, and the empty pursuit of prestige. With each new husband, each dazzling circle she penetrates, Undine gains power-but at what cost to her soul? Wharton spares no one in this satirical portrait of a society obsessed with appearances and status. Through Undine, she exposes the hollow core of material success and the personal wreckage left in its wake. This modern edition makes Wharton's masterpiece accessible and urgent for today's readers, especially those drawn to stories of female power, toxic ambition, and cultural critique. What You'll Discover in This Modern Edition: A Brilliant Anti-Heroine - Meet Undine Spragg: beautiful, self-serving, and utterly unforgettable. A Scathing Portrait of High Society - Explore the corrupt values of Gilded Age aristocracy and the illusion of social refinement. Marriage as a Weapon - Witness how Undine turns relationships into stepping stones for power and wealth. A Masterclass in Social Satire - Learn how Wharton's prose cuts deep into cultural norms that still resonate today. A Cautionary Tale for the Ambitious - Reflect on the emotional and spiritual toll of relentless self-advancement. Edith Wharton's The Custom of the Country is a timeless, biting indictment of class, vanity, and the American obsession with success. This modern translation preserves Wharton's elegant prose while ensuring clarity for contemporary readers.

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