One of Wharton’s earliest works, ‘The Marne’ offers a fascinating insight into the shadow cast by the First World War. When 15 year-old American, Troy Belknap, is on his annual holiday in France, war breaks out. While Troy would love to fight for the French but is too young for service. Will he be able to live with himself or will frustration swallow him up? ‘The Marne’ is a culturally-significant story and one that allows us to see and experience France as the author herself did. A thrilling and thought-provoking story from one of America’s greatest novelists.Edith Wharton (1862 – 1937) was an American designer and novelist. Born in an era when the highest ambition a woman could aspire to was a good marriage, Wharton went on to become one of America’s most celebrated authors. During her career, she wrote over 40 books, using her wealthy upbringing to bring authenticity and detail to stories about the upper classes. She moved to France in 1923, where she continued to write until her death.