The Buddy Book by Nancy Rue

The Buddy Book by Nancy Rue

A patrician who wrote most often of the fashionable 19th-century New York society she knew so well, Edith Wharton was inspired to write the novel Ethan Frome after spending summers at her home in Lenox, Massachusetts. Born during the Civil War and dying near the start of World War I, Wharton experienced the transformation of American society from a rural republic to an industrial power. Her experiences are reflected in her writing, and Ethan Frome is widely studied at all levels. This book is a systematic introduction to her novel.

The guide draws upon Wharton's autobiography and letters to trace her literary and artistic development. In addition to a detailed plot summary, the book gives special attention to the influence of Nathaniel Hawthorne and other writers on her work. It also analyzes Wharton's style and themes and overviews the critical reception of her novel.

Connie Neal has written over thirty books and Bible projects, the most recent of which is What's a Christian to Do with Harry Potter? In 1998, she travelled with Women of Faith as a speaker, and now she travels the country giving workshops on Harry Potter's impact on the Christian community. Connie and her husband are educating their three children to be culturally literate without sacrificing their faith.