Why Edith Wharton's house, the Mount, must be saved

(Kate Bolick, Slate) - Outside design circles, not many people know that Edith Wharton's first publication was a decorating manual.
It's a perplexing fact. Our own American grande dame, author of more than 40 books, friend of Henry James and Theodore Roosevelt … bothered herself with wallpaper and sconces? (Actually, she loathed wallpaper.)
But after the initial shock, perhaps you'll remember reading The Age of Innocence or seeing Martin Scorsese's film adaptation of it and realize that Wharton is fused in your mind with masterfully described interiors—at which point, your confusion will click into a satisfied "Huh!" Continued

Photo: edithwharton.org