Edith Wharton (1862-1937), born Edith Newbold Jones, was a distinguished American novelist, short story writer, and designer. Hailing from a privileged New York family, Wharton's literary work often explored the complexities and contradictions of American high society, a milieu she knew intimately. Wharton made her literary debut with 'The Decoration of Houses' in 1897, solidifying her interest in architecture and interior design. Her breakthrough, however, came with the novel 'The House of Mirth' (1905), which received widespread critical acclaim for its incisive portrayal of New York's elite and the pressures facing women within this social stratum. Wharton's narrative style is characterized by its elegance, sharp character studies, and keen social observations, trademarks that are also exemplified in one of her late works, the story 'After Holbein' (1939). A Pulitzer Prize winner for 'The Age of Innocence' in 1921, Wharton was also the first woman to receive an honorary doctorate from Yale University. Beyond her fiction, Wharton wrote at least 85 essays on a wide range of topics, including travel and cultural critique. Her literary legacy is defined by her eloquent yet critical lens on the society that both shaped and was dissected by her writing.