70. The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton and glittering contemporary books full of social commentary
Chelsey and Sara discuss The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton*, a glittering Gilded Age classic that feels particularly relevant today. We chat about our experiences rereading one of Wharton’s early novels, how we felt about the divisive character Lily Bart, and our recommendations for contemporary pairings—including one of our favorite essay collections and a coming of age novel set at a boarding school. *This episode does include spoilers, so listen carefully for spoiler warnings if you haven’t read The House of Mirth yet. For more bonus episodes, nerdy classes, and extra book talk, join our Classics Club: patreon.com/novelpairings.com. Connect with us on Instagram or Twitter. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get updates and behind-the-scenes info. Get two audiobooks for the price of one from Libro.fm. Use our Libro.fm affiliate code NOVELPAIRINGS and support independent bookstores. Listen to our pairings: [45:58] Books mentioned: Thank you for supporting us by shopping our affiliate links! Chelsey The Rogue of Fifth Avenue (Uptown Girls series) by Joanna Shupe (Amazon) Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion by Jia Tolentino (Amazon) Rules of Civility by Amor Towles (Amazon) Sara The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Amazon) The Party Upstairs by Lee Conell (Amazon) Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld (Amazon) Also mentioned: The Gilded Age Girls Club series (Duchess by Design #1) by Maya Rodale The Gossip Girl of Her Time: On the Pleasures of Edith Wharton