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Edith Wharton, author of Ethan Frome, The House of Mirth, and other acclaimed novels, was born into a wealthy family. Beginning in childhood, Edith found ways to escape from society's and her family's expectations and follow an unconventional, creative path. Unhappily married and eventually divorced, she surrounded herself with male friends. She spent much of her life in Paris and was recognized by the French government for her generosity and hard work during World War I. Her literary and personal life, her witty and incisive correspondence, her fondness for automobiles and small dogs--all are detailed in this warm and sparkling account of a woman well ahead of her time. Includes a bibliography, source notes, and an index.
Connie Nordhielm Wooldridge
(The Mount photo © David Dashiell)
Edith Wharton, author of Ethan Frome, The House of Mirth, and other acclaimed novels, was born into a wealthy family. Beginning in childhood, Edith found ways to escape from society's and her family's expectations and follow an unconventional, creative path. Unhappily married and eventually divorced, she surrounded herself with male friends. She spent much of her life in Paris and was recognized by the French government for her generosity and hard work during World War I. Her literary and personal life, her witty and incisive correspondence, her fondness for automobiles and small dogs--all are detailed in this warm and sparkling account of a woman well ahead of her time. Includes a bibliography, source notes, and an index.
Amazon Exclusive: A Letter from Connie Nordhielm Wooldridge, Author of The Brave Escape of Edith Wharton
Connie Nordhielm Wooldridge
 The Mount--Edith Wharton's Estate in Lennox, MA |
(The Mount photo © David Dashiell)
From School Library Journal
Gr 6-9–The Brave Escape begins with an explanation of the saying, "Keeping up with the Joneses." The term was coined during the 1800s to describe attempts at social climbing and as a direct reference to the family into which Edith Jones Wharton was born. This hook heightens the monumentality of the unconventional "escape" Wharton made from the rules of Gilded Age New York society into a writing career and a life of intellectualism. The narrative follows her from birth to death and continually highlights her struggle to reconcile society's expectations and her own upbringing with her lifestyle and career choices. Glimpses into her "imagining" sessions as a child and the heartache caused by a broken affair as a middle-aged woman create a vibrant and often endearing portrait of Wharton. Her writing underscores all, but just as much weight is given to describing her relationships, travels, and numerous homes. The target audience for a book of this scope and readability, however, appears to be quite far below the purview of the typical, mature Wharton reader. Black-and-white photographs and reproductions are included. A straightforward, sometimes charming title that may struggle to find an audience –Jill Heritage Maza, Greenwich High School, CT © Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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More About the Author
Connie Nordhielm Wooldridge's vivid imagination and spirited storytelling are fueled by her love of travel, adventure, and the unconventional way she embraces all life has to offer.
She's lived in seven states, Washington, D.C., Athens, Greece and Seoul, South Korea; was a Latin major, a flight attendant for a major airline, raised four children who are five years apart in age, and worked at a job she'd dreamed of having as a little girl - a librarian in an elementary school.
From the time she learned to read, Connie loved to escape into her favorite stories - mysteries and fantasies. While other girls were devouring Laura Ingalls Wilder's adventures on the American prairie, she lived in the fantasy worlds created by 19th Century Scottish writer George MacDonald or went sleuthing with Nancy Drew.
Her love of travel began early in life, as her father's work moved the family from Black Mountain, North Carolina, where Connie was born, to several homes in Northern Ohio and finally to Sherborn, Massachusetts, where she graduated from high school. Connie attended Mount. Holyoke College, where she majored in Latin and earned a teaching certificate. After a year with American Airlines and two years teaching first grade at an English-speaking school in Korea, she attended the University of Chicago graduate school, where she received a double Masters degree in library science and education in 1977.
During this time she was recommended by Zena Sutherland, children's literature professor and editor of The Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books, to serve first on the American Library Association's Newbery-Caldecott Committee, which each year selects the recipients of children's literature's most prestigious awards, and then on the Notable Books Committee, which compiles a list of the best children's books published each year.
Married in 1977, she and her growing family made several moves while her husband was finishing his medical studies. She took her first step toward her dream of writing for children by taking a correspondence course through The Institute of Children's Literature. Her first acceptance, by Highlights for Children, was a Korean folktale adaptation. Soon she was a regular contributor to both Highlights for Children and Cricket Magazine.
Connie is the author of five picture books and a young adult biography...
Just Fine They Way They Are (Calkins Creek, March 1, 2011)
The Brave Escape of Edith Wharton (Clarion Books, 2010)
Thank You Very Much, Captain Ericsson! (Holiday House, 2005)
When Esther Morris Headed West (Holiday House, 2001)
The Legend of Strap Buckner (Holiday House, 2001)
Wicked Jack (Holiday House, 1995)
Connie Nordhielm Wooldridge and her husband, Carl, live in Richmond, Indiana where she serves on the Richmond Symphony Orchestra Board, the Every Child Can Read Board, and volunteers for Communities in Schools. They have four grown children.
She's lived in seven states, Washington, D.C., Athens, Greece and Seoul, South Korea; was a Latin major, a flight attendant for a major airline, raised four children who are five years apart in age, and worked at a job she'd dreamed of having as a little girl - a librarian in an elementary school.
From the time she learned to read, Connie loved to escape into her favorite stories - mysteries and fantasies. While other girls were devouring Laura Ingalls Wilder's adventures on the American prairie, she lived in the fantasy worlds created by 19th Century Scottish writer George MacDonald or went sleuthing with Nancy Drew.
Her love of travel began early in life, as her father's work moved the family from Black Mountain, North Carolina, where Connie was born, to several homes in Northern Ohio and finally to Sherborn, Massachusetts, where she graduated from high school. Connie attended Mount. Holyoke College, where she majored in Latin and earned a teaching certificate. After a year with American Airlines and two years teaching first grade at an English-speaking school in Korea, she attended the University of Chicago graduate school, where she received a double Masters degree in library science and education in 1977.
During this time she was recommended by Zena Sutherland, children's literature professor and editor of The Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books, to serve first on the American Library Association's Newbery-Caldecott Committee, which each year selects the recipients of children's literature's most prestigious awards, and then on the Notable Books Committee, which compiles a list of the best children's books published each year.
Married in 1977, she and her growing family made several moves while her husband was finishing his medical studies. She took her first step toward her dream of writing for children by taking a correspondence course through The Institute of Children's Literature. Her first acceptance, by Highlights for Children, was a Korean folktale adaptation. Soon she was a regular contributor to both Highlights for Children and Cricket Magazine.
Connie is the author of five picture books and a young adult biography...
Just Fine They Way They Are (Calkins Creek, March 1, 2011)
The Brave Escape of Edith Wharton (Clarion Books, 2010)
Thank You Very Much, Captain Ericsson! (Holiday House, 2005)
When Esther Morris Headed West (Holiday House, 2001)
The Legend of Strap Buckner (Holiday House, 2001)
Wicked Jack (Holiday House, 1995)
Connie Nordhielm Wooldridge and her husband, Carl, live in Richmond, Indiana where she serves on the Richmond Symphony Orchestra Board, the Every Child Can Read Board, and volunteers for Communities in Schools. They have four grown children.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very interesting,
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This review is from: The Brave Escape of Edith Wharton (Hardcover)
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
I enjoyed reading this biography about an author I didn't know much about. According to the book, Wharton defied convention to become "the most accomplished and admired American writer of her day." Before reading this biography, I had only heard of a couple of Warton's titles and hadn't realized just how much she had written--and this book has definitely inspired me to check out some of her lessor known works.Though the book is intended for a middle/high school audience, it was definitely interesting enough for an adult to read. The beginning of the book, which talks about her childhood, seemed almost geared for an upper elementary audience--it is written rather childlike. As the book progresses to her adult life, the writing becomes more sophisticated and the story more complex. My only criticism is that the middle of the book dragged a bit (for me) when the book focused more on Wharton's relationships with her many bachelor friends and travels. I hadn't even realized Wharton was writing during these period until suddenly it's mentioned that Wharton was on her 20th book or something. Anyway, that small detail does not keep me from recommending this well-written book about an interesting woman and author. This would be a great addition to a high school or junior college library.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A book of surprising depth,
By
This review is from: The Brave Escape of Edith Wharton (Hardcover)
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
I count Edith Wharton as one of my favorite authors and one of America's preeminent writers of the 20th century. Though this book is targeted towards children, I was surprised to see how honest and open it was concerning Wharton's life--from her cold childhood, to her unhappy marriage, and beyond--and find it a welcome companion to Hermione Lee's 2007 biography, Edith Wharton (Vintage). This incredibly rich and detailed biography and is the perfect introduction to this very talented novelist. In fact, I foresee that Wooldridge's easy style will make young adults curious to read Wharton's fiction, for this biography details her influences and passions whilst writing her much-beloved works such as The House of Mirth and The Age of Innocence. The Brave Escape of Edith Wharton is Well worth its price and is superb reading material for both adults and children.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES,
This review is from: The Brave Escape of Edith Wharton (Hardcover)
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
Just like another reviewer, I didn't realize that this book was intended for adolescents until after I received it. But nonetheless, I found the book very interesting while being informative. Additionally there are many great pictures throughout the pages. One of the things that I really enjoyed reading about was the Mount, which was a mansion that Edith and her then husband had built in Lenox Massachusetts to live there a few months of the year. I enjoyed reading about the Mount since I had recently been there and toured its spacious rooms and lovely grounds. It was also interesting to read about her life in France, as she spent time in her residences in both Paris and Provence. She also loved to travel throughout Europe.It's interesting to note that Edith's parents were members of the prominent New York Jones family that inspired the old saying "Keeping up with the Joneses". Although Edith Wharton may be best known as the prestigious Pulitzer Prize winning author of "The Age of Innocence" making Edith the first woman to achieve such an honor, many people may not know that she volunteered her time and energy in creating and running different charities during World War I, and because of this, she received Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, France's highest and most distinguished award. Another book that I recommend (for adults) is an autobiography by Edith Wharton called "A Backward Glance". While I found her autobiography enjoyable to read, it's not as revealing as this book. As a matter of fact, this book sheds light on some issues that were not too clear on her autobiography. Edith was married for many years to Ted Wharton, he started as a fun loving sociable guy but as the years went by he seemed to be more and more mentally unstable, she tried to make her marriage work but at the end they finally divorced. It's obvious in both books that Edith extremely enjoyed the company of male friends, even when she was still married, traveling with them at times, had many male friends including the famous writer Henry James, she even had a special room set up for him at the Mount whenever he would stay there. An interesting look at the wealthy of a bygone era.
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