The Fruit of the Tree
Illustrated by Alonzo Kimball. This novel was considered controversial for its frank treatment of labor and industrial conditions, drug addiction, mercy killing, divorce, and second marriages. This book’s jacket gives the following description:
“John Amherst, an idealistic middle manager in a New England textile mill, is committed to improving the deplorable working conditions of the laborers in his charge. But upper management, whose only concern is maximizing profits, frustrates his efforts. When Amherst eventually marries Bessy Westmore, the widow of the former mill owner, he is able at last to initiate an ambitious project of reform. But happiness for John and Bessy proves to be short-lived. In The Fruit of the Tree, Wharton has created a tale of psychological insights, deft social portraiture, and profound ethical questions that remain challenging even today.”
Edith Wharton (1862-1937).
The Fruit of the Tree.
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1907
Lehigh University Catalog Record: https://asa.lib.lehigh.edu/Record/10839082
A version of this text has been digitized and is available through the Internet Archive.
Image Gallery
