Edith Wharton was an American novelist, short story writer, and designer. She was the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Literature in 1921 for her novel The Age of Innocence. She wrote over 40 novels, including Ethan Frome and The House of Mirth. She also wrote numerous short stories and essays. Her works often explored the lives of the upper class in New York City during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.