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The Custom of the Country
  
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The Custom of the Country (Hardcover)

by Edith Wharton (Author) "Undine Spragg-how can you?" her mother wailed, raising a prematurely-wrinkled hand heavy with rings to defend the note which a languid "bell-boy" had just brought..." (more)
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
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Product Description

From AudioFile

Edith Wharton's novels of manners seem to grow in stature as time passes. Here she draws a beautiful social climber, Undine Sprague, who is a monster of selfishness and honestly doesn't know it. Although the worlds she wants to conquer have vanished, Undine herself is amazingly recognizable. She marries well above herself twice and both times fails to recognize her husbands' strengths of character or the weakness of her own, and it is they, not she, who pay the price. Barbara Caruso can't make Undine sympathetic; no one could. But she makes her believable, quite miracle enough, and renders Undine's slash-and-burn progress toward what she thinks will make her happy utterly absorbing. B.G. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

Highly acclaimed at its publication in 1913, The Custom of the Country is a cutting commentary on America’s nouveaux riches, their upward-yearning aspirations and their eventual downfalls. Through her heroine, the beautiful and ruthless Undine Spragg, a spoiled heiress who looks to her next materialistic triumph as her latest conquest throws himself at her feet, Edith Wharton presents a startling, satiric vision of social behavior in all its greedy glory. As Undine moves from America’s heartland to Manhattan, and then to Paris, Wharton’s critical eye leaves no social class unscathed. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
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"Undine Spragg-how can you?" her mother wailed, raising a prematurely-wrinkled hand heavy with rings to defend the note which a languid "bell-boy" had just brought in. Read the first page
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4.4 out of 5 stars (15 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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5.0 out of 5 stars What customs, Feb 22 2007
By E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   
This review is from: The Custom of the Country (Mass Market Paperback)
Few social climbers are as surreally despicable as Edith Wharton's Undine Spragg, who doesn't care what happens to anyone else as long as she can shop and party. And "The Custom of the Country" is the perfect example of what such people do to the people around them. It's nauseating and brilliant, all at once.

Undine Spragg is a mesmerizing beauty from a tiny town, whose parents made a small-scale fortune and have moved to the glitzy world of New York. Undine wants the best of everything, more than her family can afford, but she thinks it's all worth it -- so she marries a besotted son of "old New York," but it doesn't take long for him to realize how incompatible they are.

And he doesn't realize that Undine is hiding a (then) shameful secret -- she was once married and quickly divorced from a vulgar businessman. In the present, Undine continues her quest for a life of pleasure, moving on to a French nobleman and getting just as dissatisfied with him. The only way to succeed lies in the one man who sees her for what she is.

Undine Spragg may actually be one of the most despicable, selfish characters in all of classic literature -- she literally doesn't care about anyone but herself, or who she hurts. You'd think a book about someone like that would be dreary, but instead it's one long needle at the people like Undine, who care only for money, status and fun.

But it's also about the changing fortunes in late 19th-century America (and Europe). New money -- symbolized by Undine and her shrewd, megarich ex-hubby -- was squeezing out the old guard, who were never terribly rich to start with. Wharton's observations on their rise and decline have a sharp, biting edge. Although compared to the anti-heroine, the old traditions seem pretty innocent.

Lots of celebrity socialites could take a lesson from Undine's story: she's a snob of humble stock, thinks she's a great person, and utterly selfish -- if her husband shoots himself, that's great! She can marry again without the disgrace of a divorce! Yet in the end, you know that Undine will always be craving something more that she thinks will make her happy, but she will never find it.

The characters around Undine are usually nice, but blinded by her nymphlike beauty -- and even her parents, who know what she's like, are too beaten-down by her whining to resist. Only her ex-husband, Ralph Marvell, is really right for her -- not only is he obscenely rich and just as grasping as Undine, but he's smart enough to know what a monster she is.

"The Custom of the Country" is a wickedly barbed, brilliant piece of work, with one of the nastiest anti-heroines ever, and a great look at the rising tides of "new money." A must-read.
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5.0 out of 5 stars "If only everyone would do as she wished...", Jan 16 2004
By S. Calhoun "rhymeswithorange" (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: The Custom of the Country (Paperback)
In CUSTOM OF THE COUNTRY Edith Wharton created a most unlikable protagonist that is certainly easy to deplore. Undine Spragg is the epitome of a spoiled individual who doesn't bother to care how her financial demands negatively affect those around her. After moving to New York with her parents she has the full intentions of entering the ranks of high society. She studies the society columns in the local newspapers and dreams of residing in a splendid home on Fifth Avenue. Undine is both charming and beautiful and she doesn't hesitate to rely on various schemes and methods to get what she wants.

During the course of this book the reader follows Undine as she strives to enter the fashionable social circles of New York at the beginning of the 20th century. She studies the prominent players in the upper classes and desires to join them during their dinner parties in New York and their annual spring trips to Paris. Unfortunately her father doesn't possess the type of financial resources to accommodate Undine's wishes so she seeks to marry a man who can provide. Undine's climb to the top of New York society is not without incident. At times her ascendancy is marked by setbacks and controversies that aim to keep Undine away from the social limelight.

Edith Wharton provides insightful commentaries on how Undine Spragg is so self-centered and ignorant and the general superficiality of high society during this time period. Undine completely ignored the concerns of her husband(s) and her child as she strived to join the fashionably conscious social circles. The social and religious sentiments towards divorced woman are also explored during this era of general disapproval of broken marriages. CUSTOM OF THE COUNTRY provides a revealing glimpse into the workings of the upper society circles of New York before the Great War. Highly recommended.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, May 11 2003
By Madtea (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Custom of the Country (Paperback)
A stunning, ruthless indictment of crass materialism and American disregard for the traditions and values of other countries. It's hard to believe this was written before WW1.
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 		 Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Slow-building Classic
Edith Wharton is likely the best chronicler of life in the upper startum of early New York, and the CUSTOM OF THE COUNTRY joins her other classics in this realm, such as the HOUSE... Read more
Published on Sep 15 2002 by Westley

2.0 out of 5 stars E gads!
I am a big Edith Wharton fan, however, Custom of the Country has made me question my loyalty. I loved both the plot and narrative style of "Ethan Frome" and "The... Read more
Published on Mar 12 2001 by DLP

4.0 out of 5 stars The Heroine is a True American
To anyone who has read The Custom of the Country, the idea that Undine Spragg is the perfect personification of America would be something to think about. Read more
Published on July 27 2000 by Scooper

5.0 out of 5 stars She Just Turns Out Masterpieces!
Edith Wharton is certainly one of the most accomplished authors in American history. I don't think there is ONE of her books that I don't completely LOVE. Read more
Published on July 15 2000 by Caroline P. Hampton

5.0 out of 5 stars Wharton's Best
What a marvelous author Edith Wharton is! I like to copy passages from her books just to feel how beautifully she constructs her sentences and paragraphs. Read more
Published on Jun 16 2000 by Susan S. Platt

5.0 out of 5 stars a pure masterpiece
I've just finished reading this book and i must say that i found it extremely good. While reading it you build up an absolute hatred for the main character, Undine Spragg. Read more
Published on April 8 2000

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!
One of the best novels of the Century! Great narrative, terrific characters, splendid knowledge of the period!
Published on Nov 16 1999

4.0 out of 5 stars A spoilt heiress destroys the lives of all she meets.
I have just finished reading Edith Wharton's THE CUSTOM OF THE COUNTRY and have never wanted to strangle a protaganist so much in my life! Ms. Read more
Published on Dec 22 1998

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing-not one of her best works.
Being an avid Edith Wharton reader, I was looking forward to yet another brilliant and engaging portrayal of the New York of the past. Read more
Published on Oct 12 1998

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent read!
Edith Wharton takes the reader back in time as she eloquently depicts life at the turn of the century for New York's wealthy elite. Read more
Published on Sep 11 1998

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