Edith Wharton
Edith Wharton (1862–1937) was an American novelist and short-story writer known for her incisive portrayals of upper-class New York society. She won the 1921 Pulitzer Prize for The Age of Innocence and wrote novels, short stories, and nonfiction exploring class, morality, and social change.
Quotes by Edith Wharton
Quotes: 2
Spreading Light: Candles, Mirrors, and Shared Illumination
Ultimately, wisdom lies in choosing your role moment by moment. When you possess knowledge, courage makes you a candle; when others hold the light, humility makes you a mirror. As a steady reminder, the old proverb—adopted by Amnesty International in 1961—urges lighting a candle rather than cursing the darkness. And like Florence Nightingale’s emblematic lamp, gentle light travels far in dark corridors. In practice, communities flourish when people learn to kindle, to polish, and to pass the beam without burning or blinding. [...]
Created on: 8/26/2025
Beware of Monotony; It’s the Mother of All Deadly Sins — Edith Wharton
Describing monotony as the root of 'deadly sins' elevates its negative impact from mere boredom to a fundamental human failing. [...]
Created on: 4/24/2025