A Son at the Front

Inspired by her volunteer work in France during World War I, Edith Wharton’s remarkable war novel, A Son at the Front, was initially met with widespread indifference from a war-weary public. The profoundly moving story follows expatriate American painter John Campton as he battles to keep his only son, George, away from the front while considering the moral ramifications of his actions. The Pulitzer Prize–winning author delivers a deeply emotional and intimate look at the shattered lives of the distraught parents left behind. Wharton constructs a stunning, poignant tale that skillfully explores the psychological and cultural influences on human behavior during the early years of World War I. ww1; World War 1; one; classic; war; novel; story; books; literature; tale; American; artist; parents; psychological; grief; military; love; female; author; writer; family; drama; battle; portrait; French; France; Paris; Historical fiction; masterpiece; home front; Pulitzer prize; winner; Great War; tragedy