The Age of Innocence

"Contexts" constructs the historical foundation for this very historical novel. Many documents are included on the "New York Four Hundred," elite social gatherings, archery (the sport for upper-crust daughters), as well as Wharton's manuscript outlines, letters, and related writings.

"Criticism" collects eleven American and British contemporary reviews and nine major essays on The Age of Innocence, including a groundbreaking piece on the two film adaptations of the novel.

"A Chronology and Selected Bibliography" are also included.

BUY THE BOOK

Published Aug 29, 2020

374 pages

Average rating: 7.4

232 RATINGS

|

Join a book club that is reading The Age of Innocence!

Gen Z and Millennials Read the Classics

Gen Z and Millennials Read the Classics is a New York City-based book

club focusing on classic literature. Our goal is to offer a space where

younger generations can engage with timeless works, finding contemporary

relevance in stories that have shaped literary history. And in the

process connect with others of course!


Every month, we will gather in various quiet corners of the city, from

established bookstores, to cafes, to parks, aiming to discuss and

dissect works by authors like Jane Austen, F. Scott Fitzgerald,

Dostoevsky, Joyce, and many more. While a focus is on reading and

discussion, the club also serves as a space for its members to connect

and form meaningful friendships, grounded in a mutual love and discovery

of literature.


For those interested in exploring classic literature or seeking a

community of like-minded readers in NYC, Gen Z and Millennials Read the

Classics offers a calm, introspective space to finally get around to

engaging with and learning about all the classics we've vaguely heard

about, and connect with others in the process!

Canada Reads: Classic Books

Canada Reads: Classic Books is for people who love books and want to catch up on classics they have always been meaning to read. Or re-read a beloved

Community Reviews

bbakken
Jan 08, 2026
Pulitzer Prize - 1921
Khris Sellin
Jul 05, 2024
6/10 stars
(Don't know why it took me so long to finally read this book, but totally different story than what I thought it was...)
jggmbllt
Apr 18, 2026
10/10 stars
You can’t always have your heart’s desires. Absolutely fabulous book about longing and responsibility/societal expectations.
spoko
Jun 21, 2025
8/10 stars
I wish we could have spent some time with the two leading women, Ellen & May, rather than just with the feckless Newland Archer. Still, it's an absorbing story, and well told.
Heidi Reed
Apr 01, 2025
6/10 stars
Newland Archer to my mind is one of the wimpiest, most wishy washy characters I have ever read about. Also, the coincidence of the tutor of Mrs. Archer's English friends being Count Olenska's secretary is an awfully big one to swallow.

See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.