Includes bibliographical references (pages 207-257) and index.
Contents:
The library as space: self-making and social endangerment in The decoration of houses and Summer -- The library as hoard: collecting and cananicity in The house of mirth and Eline Vere -- The library as network: affinity, exchange, and the makings of authorship -- The library as tomb: monuments and memorials in Wharton's short fiction".
Summary:
"This book makes a claim for the centrality of libraries to the mythos of self-making in late nineteenth and early twentieth-century American culture, focusing on Edith Wharton as its primary case in point. Wharton was never formally educated; rather, her private library collection, portions of which she inherited from her father, formed the basis of an education that would, in time, directly contribute to her success as a popular author"-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.