The House of Mirth tells the story of Lily Bart a wellborn but impoverished woman belonging to New York Citys high society around the turn of the twentieth centuryampnbspShe is a stunning beauty who though raised and educated to marry well both socially and economically is reaching her 29th year an age when her youthful blush is drawing to a close and her marital prospects are becoming ever more limitedampnbspThe novel follows Lilys slow twoyear social descent from privilege to a tragically lonely existence on the margins of societyBefore publication as a book on October 14 1905ampnbspThe House of Mirthampnbspwas serialized inampnbspScribners Magazineampnbspbeginning in January 1905 It attracted a readership among housewives and businessmen alike Charles Scribner wrote Wharton in November 1905 that the novel was showing quotthe most rapid sale of any book ever published by ScribnerquotampnbspBy the end of December sales had reached 140000 copiesampnbspWhartons royalties were valued at more than half a million dollars in todays currency The commercial and critical success ofampnbspThe House of Mirthampnbspsolidified Whartons reputation as a major novelistThis case laminate collectors edition includes a Victorian inspired dustjacketampnbsp
