Customer Reviews

Yrs, Ever Affly: The Correspondence of Edith Wharton and Louis Bromfield

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Toward the end of her life, Edith Wharton, author of Ethan Frome, The Age of Innocence, The Buccaneers, held a close and personal friendship with author Louis Bromfield, author of Early Autumn, The Farm, and The Rains Came, while at the peak of his literary career. Despite the disparity of age and background (Bromfield was 34 years Wharton's junior), they became "pen pals" and intellectual intimates. Yrs., Ever Affly is a collection of their correspondence between 1931 and 1937, the year of Wharton's death. We read of Wharton and Bromfield's mutual devotion to horticultural pursuits, their observations of the social/political milieu of American and France during the 1930s, literary gossip of their day, the publishing climate of the Depression era, and a shared love of travel and literature. These 32 letters, one postcard, and a note from Wharton's secretary to Bromfield's wife, provide an intimate insight into the private worlds of two distinguished writers. Yrs., Ever Affly is "must" reading for students of the writings of Edith Wharton, Louis Bromfield, and the literary, intellectual, and publishing climate of the 1930s.

Next, speaking of books, is a few words about "Yrs. Ever Affly", the correspondence of Edith Wharton and Louis Bromfield, edited by Daniel Bratton. Shirl had told me that Danny was in the process of publishing this book, so when it came out I sent for a copy, and it has become a prized possession. Wharton has longtime been a favorite of mine, and I have read and liked some Bromfield, but his later novels leave something to be desired!

But the two, Wharton and Bromfield, shared a friendship when they lived in Europe, and much of their interests were about their wonderful gardens. Their letters touch on their writings and the fame they have achieved, (she asks for advice and he gives it) but you need to love gardening to really appreciate the book. The format is such a pleasure. The paper, the type and the many illustrations and drawings are joy. A special treat for me, was the reprint of the tribute to Wharton, written by Bromfield. The writing is superb, and I forgave him (Bromfield) all the stuff he later wrote to try to keep Malabar solvent.

Best of all is that this fine book was edited (from much research) by Shirl and Dave's boy. I feel like a proud great aunt to someone I've never seen.

Excellent! Have heard about this one, but now I own one to share with my students at university
dk