A patrician who wrote most often of the fashionable 19th-century New York society she knew so well, Edith Wharton was inspired to write the novel Ethan Frome after spending summers at her home in Lenox, Massachusetts. Born during the Civil War and dying near the start of World War II, Wharton experienced the transformation of American society from a rural republic to an industrial power. Her experiences are reflected in her writing, and Ethan Frome is widely studied at all levels. This book is a systematic introduction to her novel.

The guide draws upon Wharton's autobiography and letters to trace her literary and artistic development. In addition to a detailed plot summary, the book gives special attention to the influence of Nathaniel Hawthorne and other writers on her work. It also analyzes Wharton's style and themes and overviews the critical reception of her novel.