'The candle . . . or the mirror'

 

“There are two ways of spreadinglight: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” – Edith Wharton

 

Wise words from one of the greatestwriters in history, who was born on this date in 1862.  Raised in New York City, Wharton began writingpoetry and fiction as a young girl and even attempted to write a novel at age11.  Her first published work came at age15.

 

Despite that, her “Upper CrustSociety” family discouraged her from writing and publishing because they didn’tthink it was either “ladylike” or worthwhile.   But aftermarrying, she pursued it anyway and went on to publish 16 novels, dozens ofnovellas, 85 short stories, 3 books of poetry, and 9 nonfictionbooks.  In 1921 she won the Pulitzer Prize for The Age ofInnocence, and in 1927, 1928 and 1930 she was a finalist for the NobelPrize.

 

Her novella Ethan Frome andher novel House of Mirth are widely studied in Americanliterature classes in both high schools and colleges and universities aroundthe world, lauded for their realism and portrayal of the times and places inwhich she lived.

 

Wharton loved life and writingabout it and said it kept her young and vibrant.  “Life is always atightrope or a feather bed,” she said.   “Give me thetightrope.”