Edith Wharton's letters to Anna Bahlmann

There's a slide show of Edith Wharton's letters over at The New Yorker; the article is only in the print version, unfortunately.

Check out Edith Wharton in the News

Most of the updates these days are over at Edith Wharton in the News, http://edithwharton.blogspot.com.

Edith Wharton in the News: The Mount on SciFi and Age of Innocence on Gossip Girl

Edith Wharton in the News: The Mount on SciFi and Age of Innocence on Gossip Girl

>From Irene Goldman-Price:
Edith Wharton's home in the Berkshires, The Mount, is the subject of an episode of GhostHunters on the SciFi channel. The episode airs on March 25, 2009, at 9 p.m.EDT. http://www.scifi.com/ghosthunters/

>From Emily Orlando and Jessica McCarthy:
The show _Gossip Girl_ (on the CW network), which frequently referencesWharton and her works in its themes, recently devoted an episode to a schoolproduction of _The Age of Innocence_. The episode is available here:http://www.cwtv.com/cw-video/gossip-girl/full/?play=423-5376

Glimpses of the Moon Musical

Back by Popular Demand… Glimpses of the Moon: A Jazz Age Musical
We invite members of the Edith Wharton Society and friends to attend performances of the new musical adaptation of Edith Wharton's 1922 novel, GLIMPSES OF THE MOON. This sparkling Jazz Age musical will be presented at the famed Oak Room of the Algonquin Hotel in Manhattan on Monday evenings at 8 pm, starting on October 27th, 2008.

Set in 1922, an age of anything but innocence, GLIMPSES OF THE MOON follows the jazzy whirl of New York society. With plenty of friends but little money, Susy Branch and her friend Nick Lansing devise a clever scheme to live beyond their means. They'll marry and live off the wedding gifts while they help each other trade up to millionaires. The plan works perfectly – until they fall in love.

The musical is directed by Marc Bruni (Associate Director of Legally Blonde and Grease on Broadway) and choreographed by Denis Jones. The cast of six includes Autumn Hurlbert (Legally Blonde) and Chris Peluso (Mamma Mia) as well as special guest appearances by popular cabaret artists. The adaptation and lyrics are by Tajlei Levis with music by composer John Mercurio. The show is produced by Sharon Carr Associates.


For tickets, contact ticketweb.com or call 866.468.7619. Mention code EWMOON for a special discount for friends of the Edith Wharton society. Group discounts are available – please contact info@glimpsesOfTheMoon.com for further information and group sales.

Thanks to an enthusiastic response from critics and audiences, the show sold out its entire run last winter. The show is now returning to the Oak Room with performances every Monday night at 8pm, starting October 27th. The Algonquin Hotel is located at 59 West 44th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenue, in Manhattan.

The critics rave...


"One of the best new musicals I've seen in ages" --Duncan Pflaster, BroadwayWorld.com

"Glimpses of the Moon has already bested most of the current crop of musicals for civilized entertainment" --Michael Dale, Showtime!

"A one of a kind New York experience... Don't miss getting a glimpse of this moon!" --Bixby Elliot, Yahoo Broadway.


We hope you will join us for a wonderful evening in the Oak Room.

Press release: new book based on Wharton's "Kerfol"

The Ghosts of Kerfol
By Deborah Noyes

In her classic ghost story "Kerfol," Edith Wharton tells the tale of Anne de Barrigan, a young Frenchwoman convicted of murdering her husband, the jealous Yves de Cornault. The elderly lord was found dead on the stairs, apparently savaged by a pack of dogs, though there were no dogs -- no live dogs -- at Kerfol that day. In this remarkable collection of intertwining short stories, Deborah Noyes takes us back to the haunted manor and tells us Anne de Barrigan's story through the sympathetic eyes of her servant girl. Four more tales slip forward in time, peering in on a young artist, a hard-drinking party girl, a young American couple, and a deaf gardener who now tends the Kerfol estate. All these souls are haunted by the ghosts of Kerfol -- the dead dogs, the sensual yet uneasy relationships, and the bitter taste of revenge. In an enthralling work of Gothic suspense, an Edith Wharton story inspires five connected tales set in the same haunted manor over the centuries.

Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews "Beautiful and genuinely frightening." --------
Horn Book Magazine "The setting is particularly successful as Noyes manages to ground each entry in its specific time period while maintaining the brooding gothic atmosphere throughout." --------

Voice of Youth Advocates "Will be enjoyed by avid readers of historical fiction." --------
Booklist *Starred review* "Unique, mesmerizing tales…dark sensuality."

CFP: Edith Wharton Panels at ALA 2009

Call for Papers: ALA 2009

The Edith Wharton Society will sponsor two panels at the American Literature Association Conference in Boston, MA, on 21-24 May 2009.

1. After Innocence: Late Edith Wharton

In his influential essay, "Justice to Edith Wharton", Edmund Wilson casually wrote off Wharton's writing after The Age of Innocence, concluding that the more "commonplace work of her later years had had the effect of dulling the reputation of her earlier and more serious work." This panel re-examines the final period of Wharton's career, and its place in any assessment of the writer's oeuvre. Possible topics might include: Wharton and her critics; the late short stories; versions of her memoirs; correspondence; the critical writings; public image; the writer's responses to contemporary fiction; Wharton and the Depression; the Vance Weston novels; The Buccaneers; Wharton's legacy. All approaches welcome. Please submit 250 word paper proposals and brief biographical statement by 15 January 2009 to Laura Rattray at: L.Rattray@hull.ac.uk

2. New Perspectives on the Novel of Manners
Since James W. Tuttleton wrote The Novel of Manners in America in 1972, scholars have “reclaimed” a massive amount of literature by writers who were marginalized though canon formation. So too have critical perspectives and methodologies broadened the study of literature. Additionally, many contemporary popular texts are now taught in classrooms. This panel seeks to use Edith Wharton, as a comparative point from which to examine other writers, as novelists of manners. Submissions may include modern or popular writers or any new treatments of canonical writers. Please submit 250-300 word proposals and a brief biographical statement by 15 January 2009 to Margaret Murray at murraym@wcsu.edu.

Nominations for EWS Board and Offices: Deadline Extended

14 April. Deadline extended to July 1, 2008, for EWS Secretary and Executive board nominations. Nominations invited for EWS Executive Board and Secretary positions. Completed nomination forms should be returned by email to BOTH L.Rattray@hull.ac.uk and SSTowheed@aol.com.

Change of Venue for Edith Wharton and History Conference

The following message will be sent to participants in the Edith Wharton and History Conference, but it should also be read by those intending to attend the conference who have not yet registered. See also the conference site for any updates.

--Donna Campbell

Dear Participants:

We are writing to inform you that we had to make some changes to the location of the Edith Wharton Conference. The conference was fully planned out, when we suddenly learnt that the Seven Hills Inn was being sold and could or would not accommodate us. Even though our contract with them has a stipulation that the contract would hold even in the case of a sale, the Inn refused to honor that contract since the inn will undergo transitional repairs during the time of our planned stay there. We had no choice but to relocate the conference. It will now be held at The Crowne Plaza at One West St., Pittsfield, MA, 01201. The Crowne Plaza is a modern conference center/hotel , which is 8.7 miles from The Mount. The website is www.crowneplaza.com. The phone is (413) 499-2000. Crowne Plaza is a Priority Club member, and we look forward to enjoying the vastly upgraded hospitality that they offer. Please see the bottom of this letter for a new menu choice for the banquet.

We also, unfortunately, cannot be certain that The Mount will be open, since it is threatened by foreclosure. We are keeping an eye on that situation every week. However, if it is open, members of the Edith Wharton Society have volunteered to drive those who need transportation to The Mount. All this said, the conference itself is no different than it was planned ; it is still a juried conference, the location is still in the beautiful Berkshire area, and the cost for accommodations will be somewhat lower: Thurs. night is $119 and Fri. night is $139. Seven Hills is now in the process of refunding room deposits to the credit cards on which those deposits were charged. We are looking for a vibrant exchange of ideas on Edith Wharton. We therefore hope that you will still come to the conference, but we would like you to let us know as soon as possible if these changes will affect your plans so that we can plan out the conference to its final shape. We will be accepting Conference registrations until April 30. If you have any additional questions, please contact Margaret Murray at drmpm@snet.net .

With many thanks, and looking forward to seeing you in June,

All best regards,

Hildegard Hoeller, P resident, Edith Wharton Society

Margaret Murray, Vice-president, Conference Director

If you have already registered, please send your new dinner selection to:

Dr. Carole Shaffer-Koros
Kean University
School of Visual and Performing Arts
1000 Morris Ave.
Union , NJ 07083

___Prime Rib ___Grilled Salmon with citrus sauce ___Chef’s Choice Vegetarian Entrée

Registration Form for Edith Wharton and History Conference

June 26-28, 2008
Crowne Plaza

One West Street

Pittsfield , MA 01201

(413) 499-2000

Registration fee of $125 includes 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 coffee breaks, cocktail party and banquet dinner.

Graduate Student rate: $100; undergraduates may register by the day, to include breakfast, lunch and coffee break, for $15 each day, with student i.d.

Reservation for rooms should be made at Crowne Plaza ; ask for the Edith Wharton Society rate, which is $119 for June 26, and $139 for June 27.

Questions about the Conference should be directed to Margaret Murray at drmpm@snet.net

Conference Registration (include check for $125; students should include copy of student ID), mail to:

Dr. Carole Shaffer-Koros
Kean University
School of Visual and Performing Arts
1000 Morris Ave.
Union , NJ 07083

NAME:__________________________________________________________

AFFILIATION:____________________________________________________

MAILING ADDRESS______________________________________________

EMAIL:________________________________________________________________

PHONE:________________________________________________________________

AMOUNT ENCLOSED: _________$125 _________$100 __________$15

BANQUET ENTRÉE (pick one):

___Prime Rib ___Grilled Salmon with citrus sauce ___Chef’s Choice Vegetarian Entrée