1.5 stars for the first five stories
3 stars for the last two.

Edith Wharton was a Pulitzer Prize-winning author who wrote stories and novels with one setting; upper crust people from New York or Boston, all of whom had maids, butlers, footmen, governesses, etc., literati who spent their time traveling abroad, speaking French, and discussing novels and investments. Oh yawn. Enough already. I grew pretty tired of the same characters. The stories read like a 19th century soap opera.
Wharton's writing style bugged me too. It's overly complicated.

I was going to read The House of Mirth but I don't think I will now. From what I've seen of the plot, it's more of the same. ( )

Of this edition I only had to read two stories -- "Expiation" and "Xingu" -- both of which I *really* enjoyed! I do not care for the "Dover Thrift Editions" at all because they give you nothing more than just the stories on the cheapest paper available. I will try to sell this edition back and buy another something from this author, be that a Penguin edition or an Oxford -- something that gives you Footnotes and additional information.

It was such a fun and fantastic read! ( )

"Roman Fever" is the best short story ever written, period! ( )