Summer

• Genre: Fiction; novella; romance
• Originally Published: 1917
• Reading Level/Interest: College/Adult
• Structure/Length: 18 chapters; approximately 290 pages; approximately 5 hours, 33 minutes on audio
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: The novella follows Charity Royall, a young woman living in the small town of North Dormer. When she meets Lucius Harney, a visiting architect, her world is irrevocably changed. As Charity becomes infatuated with Lucius, she is confronted with societal expectations and her own desires. The central conflict revolves around Charity’s journey of self-discovery, her attempts to break free from her limited circumstances, and the challenges of navigating love and passion.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Themes of romance; social norms and expectations; possible incestuous undertones; allusions to abortions

Edith Wharton, Author

• Bio: Born 1862, died 1937; American novelist, short story writer, and designer; known for her exploration of upper-class society and the complexities of human relationships; showcases her skillful storytelling and nuanced characters in Summer (1917); was the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for The Age of Innocence (1920); delves into the themes of societal constraints, gender roles, and the human psyche in her writing
• Other Works: The Age of Innocence (1920); Ethan Frome (1911); The House of Mirth (1905); The Custom of the Country (1913); The Buccaneers (1938); Roman Fever and Other Stories (1964)