A monologue, developed in Wharton’s voice, to acquaint audiences with Wharton’s childhood in old New York, her writing career, and her wide-ranging interests in travel, architecture, and philanthropy. One of the most gifted and influential novelists in American literature, Edith Wharton (1862-1937), was born into one of old New York’s most established families. Self-educated and determined, Wharton broke away from “society” to discover her intellectual and creative gifts.