If you enjoy reading novels by Edith Wharton then you might also like the following authors:
Henry James was a close friend of Edith Wharton and shared her keen insight into the social mores of the upper class. His detailed character studies and exploration of moral dilemmas will appeal to Wharton’s readers.
Jane Austen’s novels focus on the manners and matrimonial machinations among the British gentry, much like how Wharton explored American high society. Her wit and social commentary are timeless.
Forster’s works frequently examine class differences and social hypocrisy. Readers of Wharton’s “The Age of Innocence” may find Forster’s “A Room with a View” and “Howards End” appealing.
Dreiser’s novels, like “Sister Carrie” and “An American Tragedy,” delve into the dark side of the American dream and the social stratification much like Wharton’s critical look at high society.
Cather’s works often focus on the frontier and pioneer life, but her nuanced characters and depiction of social change will resonate with Wharton fans. Her novel “The Song of the Lark” explores themes of personal ambition similar to Wharton’s work.
Bowen’s novels typically deal with themes of loss and dislocation. Her detailed and atmospheric style can be compared to Wharton’s expert evocation of time and place.
Woolf’s complex characters and focus on the internal life of individuals echo Wharton’s psychological insights. Her novel “Mrs Dalloway” particularly explores themes of social facade and fragmentation.
Fitzgerald’s portrayal of the Jazz Age and the decline of the American aristocracy in novels like “The Great Gatsby” may captivate Wharton’s readers, who appreciate a critical look at the elite.
Eliot’s exploration of social constraints and individual moral struggles in “Middlemarch,” for example, provides a depth and insight that would appeal to fans of Wharton’s novels.
Trollope’s novels of social manners and political ambition, most notably the “Barchester Chronicles” and “Palliser” series, can offer Wharton’s readers a similar mix of character and social analysis.
Waugh’s satirical take on British aristocracy and gentry, particularly in novels like “Brideshead Revisited,” provides a biting critique similar to Wharton’s portrayal of New York society.
Chopin’s “The Awakening” explores the constraints placed upon women and the struggle for autonomy, themes that are also prevalent in Wharton’s stories.
Maupin’s “Tales of the City” series captures the intricate social fabric and personal dramas within a community, echoing Wharton’s detailed depiction of societal interactions.
Lodge’s exploration of academic and social mores in novels like “Changing Places” and “Nice Work” provides a modern and humorous counterpart to Wharton’s social examinations.
Though set in the American South rather than the elite Northeast, Welty’s keen understanding of social boundaries and human nature will resonate with fans of Wharton’s intricate societal portraits.