The House of Mirthis a critical examination of social hierarchies, moral ambiguity, and the intricate nature of human relationships. Edith Wharton critiques the rigid class structure of early 20th-century New York, portraying a society where appearances are meticulously maintained, and genuine emotions often come second to personal gain. Through the struggles of Lily Bart, the novel explores the power of wealth, social expectations, and the limitations...

First published in 1929, Passing is a remarkable exploration of the shifting racial and sexual boundaries in America. Larsen, a premier writer of the Harlem Renaissance, captures the rewards and dangers faced by two negro women who pass for white in a deeply segregated world.

Set during the Gilded Age in New York City, The Age of Innocence follows Newland Archer, a poised and pedigreed gentleman lawyer who is eagerly anticipating his impending union with May Welland, a paragon of Old New York grace. The arrival of Countess Ellen Olenska, May's enigmatic and alluring cousin, shatters the tranquility of Archer's carefully structured world. Recently returned from Europe, Ellen exudes an air of cosmopolitan mystery as whispers...

The Vanderbeeker children, ages six to thirteen, race to help save their mother's baking business from closure after it fails an inspection.

As they look forward to the New York City Marathon in which their friend Mr. B. will run, the Vanderbeeker children learn that one of their good friends is homeless.

Undine Spragg is a beautiful and ambitious, yet vain and socially dense young woman with dreams of marrying a rich man. Hoping for a life of prominence and luxury, Undine convinces her family to relocate to New York. The Spragg family, who have earned their modest wealth from shady practices, are happy to accommodate Undine's request. When Undine meets Ralph Marvell, an aspiring poet from a family of old New York high society, she is determined to...

A moving coming-of-age story set in the 1900's, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn follows the lives of 11-year-old Francie Nolan, her younger brother Neely, and their parents, Irish immigrants who have settled in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. Johnny Nolan is as loving and fanciful as they come, but he is also often drunk and out of work, unable to find his place in the land of opportunity. His wife Katie scrubs floors to put food on the table and clothes...

The Statue of Liberty is the tallest woman in the United States and one of the country's most beloved symbols of freedom. Listen as park ranger Jeanetta tells the amazing story of Lady Liberty's journey in 1885 from France to New York Harbor.

Louisa Clark arrives in New York ready to start a new life, confident that she can embrace this new adventure and keep her relationship with Ambulance Sam alive across several thousand miles. She is thrown into the world of the superrich Gopniks: Leonard and his much younger second wife, Agnes, and a never-ending array of household staff and hangers-on. Lou is determined to get the most out of the experience and throws herself into her job and New...

"Sydney Shaw, like every single woman in New York, has terrible luck with dating. Then she meets Tom. Tom is utterly perfect. He's charming, handsome, and works as a doctor at a local hospital. Before she knows it, Sydney is swept off her feet. But the brutal murder of a young woman--the latest in a string of deaths across the coast--confounds police. The primary suspect? A mystery man who dates his victims before he kills them. Sydney should feel...