Summer

Originally born in an impoverished community, Charity's parents sought out the most educated man in the nearby New England town to raise their daughter. After being surrendered to a lawyer named Royall, Charity was raised comfortably by Mr. Royall and his wife. However, when Mrs. Royall tragically passes away, Charity's relationship with Royall is threatened. After his wife's death, Royall begins to feel sexually attracted to Charity, and when she refuses him, their relationship becomes tense. Royall refuses to be close to her, sending proxies to take care of her. Upset and desperate to earn enough money to be able to move away and start a new life, Charity begins to work at the local library. There, she meets a young architect named Lucius, who is visiting the town to gather research for a book he is writing on colonial homes. When Charity offers to escort him around town, the two become very close, much to Royall's dismay. Intending to marry Charity himself, Royall does his best to keep the two apart, making sure that it is known that Lucius is not welcome in his home. Still, Charity and Lucius begin a passionate love affair, progressing to a physical relationship. With secret rendezvous and passionate promises, Charity falls head over heels, but when Lucius starts missing meetings and spending time with other women, Charity is forced to wonder if he is really the man she thought she knew. When she discovers information that turns her world upside down, Charity is inspired to revisit her roots to help her make a difficult choice. With themes of class, feminism, relationships, and sexual awakening, Summer by Edith Wharton was viewed as a controversial novel when it was first published. Now, over one-hundred years later, modern audiences can appreciate the complex class and gender struggles depicted in Summer without being scandalized by the erotic content. With the use of beautiful prose filled with rich imagery, Edith Wharton's Summer features a heart-wrenching narrative sure to keep readers engaged. Now printed in a modern, reader-friendly font, and featuring a stunning new cover design, this edition of Summer by Edith Wharton creates an accessible reading experience for contemporary audiences. Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book.
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Born into a prominent New York family in 1862, Edith Wharton was immersed in the city's elite social circles from an early age. This upbringing provided her with intimate knowledge of the Gilded Age's upper-class society, which she later depicted in her writing. Fluent in multiple languages, Wharton was well-educated and widely traveled, enriching her literary perspective.Wharton's literary career flourished with the publication of novels such as The House of Mirth and The Age of Innocence, the latter earning her the distinction of being the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1921. Her works often explore themes of societal constraints and personal freedom, reflecting her critical view of the rigid social norms of her time. Beyond fiction, she co-authored The Decoration of Houses, showcasing her expertise in design and architecture.During World War I, Wharton demonstrated her humanitarian spirit by supporting the French war effort, organizing aid for refugees and the injured. Her experiences during this period influenced her later works and solidified her legacy as a keen observer of human nature and society. Edith Wharton passed away in 1937 in France, leaving behind a rich literary heritage that continues to be celebrated.