Wharton, Edith (born Jones) 1862-1937. US
novelist. Her work, influenced by her friend
Henry James, was mostly set in New York
society. It includes The House of Mirth 1905,
which made her reputation; the grim,
uncharacteristic novel of New England Ethan
Frome 1911; The Custom of the Country 1913,
and The Age of Innocence 1920. Her work is
known for its subtlety and form.