The Age of Desire

The Age of Desire brings to life one of our most beloved writers, Edith Wharton, whose own story was as complex and nuanced as that of any of the heroines’ she created.
Jennie Fields

Jennie Fields

Jennie Fields is the author of three other novels, Lily Beach, Crossing Brooklyn Ferry and The Middle Ages. More
The Age of Desire

The Age of Desire

A lush, involving novel set in the early years of the 20th century, The Age of Desire is the story of writer Edith Wharton’s illicit affair and sexual awakening with journalist Morton Fullerton. More
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See photos of Edith Wharton, Morton Fullerton and Anna Bahlmann, and learn more about Edith Wharton’s remarkable life. More

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Reviews
“Delicate and imaginative.”

Delicate and imaginative.

Delicate and imaginative.  Fields’s love and respect for all her characters and her care in telling their stories shines  through. Publishers Weekly  

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“Perceptive…Deeply felt”

Perceptive...Deeply felt

"Perceptive... Deeply felt... Sheds welcome light on the little-known life of a famous woman." Booklist

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“A secret side of Wharton”

A secret side of Wharton

“Fields brings a secret side of Wharton to life, and shows us a woman whose elegant façade concealed a turbulent sensuality.” —DAISY GOODWIN, author of The Last Heiress 

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“Astonishing tenderness and immediacy”

Astonishing tenderness and immediacy

“With astonishing tenderness and immediacy, The Age of Desire portrays the interwoven lives of Edith Wharton and Anna Bahlmann, her governess, secretary, and close friend.  By focusing on these two women from vastly different backgrounds, Jennie Fields miraculously illuminates an entire era…. I gained insight into both Wharton’s monumental work and her personal struggles—and I was filled with regret that I’d finished reading so soon.” —Lauren Belfer, author of City of Light and A Fierce Radiance

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“Page turning”

Page turning

“In the vein of Loving Frank or The Paris Wife, Jennie Fields has created a page-turning period piece. Fields portrays a woman whose life was hardly innocence and mirth, but passionate, complex and more mysterious than one might ever imagine.” —Mary Morris, author of Nothing to Declare and Revenge

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