August 5, 2026
edithwharton.org
by Shera Cohen
Perhaps you were assigned readings of classics in high school or college? Perhaps they included “The Age of Innocence,” “The House of Mirth,” and/or “Ethan Frome”. These were not on my lists, and I had enough to read for my classes that there was little time for pleasure reading. It wasn’t until years later, when I didn’t “have to” study books that I added Edith Wharton novels. I had a large choice to choose from: fiction novels, non-fiction books, short stories. Frankly, I didn’t realize what pleasure I had been missing.
I also didn’t know that this talented, world-renowned, prolific author, born in 1862, New York had lived part of her adult life not so far away from me in Lenox, MA. Surprisingly, Wharton designed her estate, which she shared with her husband, down to the last detail.
It’s somewhat of a trek up and down the terrain but walking shoes or sneakers should solve that problem; perhaps. One large mound covered with brown dirt and only a bit of grass is the Dog Cemetery. Wharton was known for her love of dogs and owned many. As each dog died, her grounds man buried the animal, along with the others who had passed away before, in this graveyard. She purposely designed the land for her pets; directly within sight of her bedroom window so that she could frequently and easily see the spot.
The Mount’s Sculpture Exhibit of curated art created by famous sculptors from throughout the country is visitors’ favorite. This year’s theme is “Flourish” which means growth, resilience, connection, hope, and the ways communities thrive by bringing people together. Works engage with nature, flora, fauna, and the interplay between art and landscape.
These pieces are large! Don’t think of them as house decorations, and many would not fit on the average house’s lawn. The pieces are made of a plethora of material, including copper, steel, flowers, glass, ceramic, straw, and more. Take a leisurely stroll through the entire grounds, even bring your dog. FREE
The exhibition includes many clearly obvious depictions of people, animals, as well as identifiable objects. Oftentimes, sculpture is not that obvious, eliciting questions from viewers like, “What is that?” But that’s okay. Art of all genres can and should be examined and inspected by those who are curious and wish to learn. A small metal lamb bows its head near the entry to the garden, “Flight” is a bird (what kind? ) landed on a large strip of green lawn, the life-size “Boy with Frog” is exactly that. There are a few metal flower sculptures and two small windmills. The Sculpture Exhibit ends October 24, 2026.
For many years, I have attended the Mount’s Summer Author Series. This season features eight authors, each discussing the impetus, process, and insight into his or her book – fiction and non-fiction. The series takes place weekly on Monday afternoons and again on Tuesday mornings. I remember when audiences filled the prior venue for the talks; The Wharton Stables. Every seat was taken for every Monday with an overflow of disappointed visitors who had to miss the talk. The brilliant idea of purchasing a huge circus-size tent was one of the Mount’s best investments. Still, lectures on two days fill the tent. This is wonderful!
Admittedly, I don’t attend all talks, yet many subscribe. Author Mark Braude spoke on The Typewriter and the Guillotine, an untold story of Janet Flanner, an atypical American journalist living and working in France at the start of the fascist movement of the 1930’s.
For the most part, this year’s speakers focus on biographies: James Baldwin, Bruce Lee, The Schuyler Sisters, and Dolly Parton. Then there are histories of various eras: conservative movement in the 1960’s, women in Modern Russia, and the start of WWII.
Another series, called “In Conversation,” is moderated by Andre Bernard. You never know who will be interviewed until you receive the Mount brochure. Again, the site is the tent, where Bernard is in a type of “60 Minutes” visit with renowned experts in their fields; primarily politics and history. For example, the success of this series was the interview by Former CIA Director General David Petraeus; an instant sell-out.
This should be any person’s worst problem, but to some degree, there is too much to do at the Mount on any given day; i.e. garden tours, dance performances, poetry readings, music for tots, and Wharton short stories read-aloud by professional actors. Oddly, perhaps, is my mandatory destination to the gift shop. Trust me, leave time to experience this lovely and intimate section in the Wharton House.
