Out in Lenox, Mass. at The Mount, former home of Edith Wharton, chroniclers of the author's life and literature are thrilled at a recent find from Dedham, Mass., that sheds light on one of Wharton's best known novels. An Edith Wharton fan finally gave The Mount a letter she'd received in which Wharton seems to suggest that Lily Bart, the protagonist in The House of Mirth, intentionally kills herself when she dies of a sleeping pill overdose at the end of the novel. The article in The New York Times today explains the importance of the action to Lily's character and an overall understanding of the plot by explaining Lily's downfall from the elite societal milieu in which she grew up. The article includes the opinions of Wharton's biographers and comments from the president of The Mount.
At the other end of the state, Fenway fans learned that Neil Diamond's hit song "Sweet Caroline," played at every Red Sox home game for the last nine years, was inspired by Camelot darling Caroline Kennedy. This, too, is a recent decision to release long-known information, and The Boston Globe explains Diamond's reasoning for doing so now on the occasion of Caroline Kennedy's 50th birthday. The article also reveals the history behind playing the song at the ballpark, which is also charming. Oh, and Doris Kearns Goodwin chimes in, too, to give the whole thing added historical significance--as if a great American songwriter, beloved baseball team, and former first daughter were not enough on their own.
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