“Making these previously unknown letters available would in itself be a valuable service, but Goldman-Price has gone far beyond that in her general introduction, introductions to each letter, and notes. The letters in this book will change the way in which we read Wharton’s early life and intellectual development.”—Donna Campbell, Washington State University
~Donna Campbell
"One of the most astonishing instances of literary eavesdropping in the history of American letters. A moving and illuminating revelation."—Alberto Manguel
~Alberto Manguel
“This skillfully edited collection sheds new light on Wharton’s childhood and early career and provides important insights into her artistic and emotional life. Goldman-Price’s lucid introduction and commentary situate the letters in a compelling biographical narrative that introduces us to the little-known Bahlmann and encourages us to reassess our understanding of Wharton’s approach to personal relationships and class differences.”—Gary Totten, President, Edith Wharton Society
“This extraordinary collection reveals a young Wharton with a voracious intellectual appetite, and a woman, who, throughout her life, is by turns cheeky, exuberant, adventurous, and compassionate. Wharton’s lifelong relationship with Bahlmann is as intricate as the lives of Wharton’s finest fictional characters, and Goldman-Price’s illuminating commentary masterfully weaves the backdrop against which this remarkable friendship unfolds.”—Susan Wissler, executive director of The Mount, Edith Wharton’s Estate and Gardens
"The 135 letters in this volume. . . are especially valuable because they represent a period for which little primary Wharton documentation is known to exist. . . Essential for Wharton scholars as well as informed general readers interested in Wharton or her literary and social circles."—Library Journal
~Library Journal
"Goldman-Price's wide knowledge of Wharton's life is revealed in her nuanced, trenchant narrative. . . The early letters. . .have a wonderful freshness, as we see an eager, confident Edith revealing an abundance of literary and personal details. . . One of the most fascinating aspects of My Dear Governess is that although there are no letters from Bahlmann, she comes alive . . . It is all interesting, a terrific addition to Wharton scholarship."—Roberta Silman, Boston Globe
~Roberta Silman , Boston Globe
"…a valuable addition for scholars and completists…"—Sarah Churchwell, The New Statesman
~Sarah Churchwell, The New Statesman
"The letters provide penetrating insights into the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist who chronicled old New York and developed a close friendship with another aristocratic Gotham native, Henry James."—Sam Roberts, New York Times
~Sam Roberts, New York Times
"From cover to cover, the book is a pleasure for those interested in literature, visual art, travel, dogs, female friendship, and life as it was lived from the Gilded Age through the Great War. For scholars of Wharton, this is a must-read, as the letters reveal a new—in many cases tender, affectionate, vulnerable, hopeful—side of Wharton and challenge previously held conceptions of the writer and her biography."—Emily Orlando, American Book Review
~Emily Orlando, American Book Review
"Eloquently introduced and meticulously annotated by Goldman-Price, this book is a gem on many levels. Offering insight into the formation of the artist and the adolescent female mind, in particular, it is trove not only for fans and scholars of Edith Wharton but also for anyone interested in childhood and gender studies, and the shaping forces of class and age."—Carol J. Singley, Women's Review of Books
~Carol J. Singley, Women's Review of Book
“In, My Dear Governess, Irene Goldman-Price produces a volume rich in insight into Wharton’s career and its social and biographical contexts.” —Melanie Dawson, College of William and Mary
~Melanie Dawson
