one guy's opinion

Judging from the emails above, Ms. Wharton must have written two versions of The Age of Innocence and, happily enough, I seem to have chosen the better of the two. Seriously, I loved the book and thought it the best I had ever read. Until, that is, I next read, also by Wharton (no accident, that), The House of Mirth. It was a close contest, but the last two or three chapters of the latter were the most moving and power pages I have ever read, giving me a new number one. (I'm still trying to get over Lily.) The Reef was next, with a different structure but still unmistakably Edith Wharton. And, in my opinion, another winner - knocked right out of the park. So I guess that makes it three for three - the proverbial hat trick - and, so far at least, no one else is even close - Wharton is by far my favorite author. Having said all that, I hasten to add her books are probably not for everyone. Pity...