Autres Temps

Originally published in 1911, 'Autres Temps...' is one of Edith Wharton’s most poignant and biting critiques of New York's high society. The story follows Mrs. Lidcote, a woman who has spent years in social exile Europe following her scandalous divorce. When her daughter also divorces and remarries, Mrs. Lidcote returns to New York, expecting to shield her from the same ostracization. However, she discovers a society that claims to have changed its morals—'other times, other manners'—yet remains fundamentally hypocritical.
A masterpiece of psychological realism and social satire, Wharton explores double standards, aging, and the invisible, rigid barriers of elite society.