When BMA discovered a few years ago that the charming bookstore at The Mount had no audio we felt it our prerogative to change that. At first we supplied the store with our Henry James audios which to our delight sold well there, the visitors perhaps being inspired by the Henry James room on the top floor and the deep friendship and literary connection between Henry and Edith. It was wonderful seeing the audio shelf empty out so quickly during the summer months but something was nagging at me. Perhaps they were buying the James audio because it was the next best thing to Edith Wharton. I didn’t think that was fair to Ms Edith and wanted to put my theory to the test.
If you haven’t been to The Mount recently it’s open until the end of October and then on weekends in November. It is indeed one of the more breathtaking sights of the Berkshires. Events include poetry festivals, books signings, plays, readings, Petanque games and now “ghostly readings” on Mondays. Halloween weekend features BTF’s Jonathan Epstein and Ariel Bock reading from Edith’s scariest tales. Be sure to check out The Mount. There is also a delightful bookstore stocked with everything Wharton managed by the courteous Ryan MacLaughlin.
Inspired by the mission of putting her spoken words in The Mount bookstore BMA contracted with Blackstone to sell their very best Wharton audio. Soon the bookstore audio shelf accommodated not only The Aspern Papers and The Siege of London but also Summer and The Age of Innocence, The Reef and Ethan Frome and indeed these were also scooped up by visitors.
Jonny Epstein reading The Last Asset
The popular Wharton Wednesdays last summer featured actors from Berkshire Theatre Festival reading various short stories. A light bulb went on in my head and the Wharton Audio Project was created. Thanks in part to the open minded Susan Wissler, the new director of Edith Wharton Restoration, BMA is collaborating with EWR on a series of Wharton short stories most of which were written during her stay at The Mount.
What makes this recording unique is that the talented actors included on the BMA recordings have acted in The Wharton plays presented at The Mount and been involved in readings at The Mount.
They will bring an understanding of Edith Wharton’s work with a grounded sense of place having lived and breathed Edith Wharton’s words in her very own home.
Tara Franklin at BMA Studios
Tod Randolph reading Autre Temps
Edith Newbold Jones 1/24/1862 – 8/11/1937
“Experience, observation, the looks and ways and words of “real people”, all melted and fused in the white heat of the creative fires – such is the mingled stuff which the novelist pours into the firm mould of his narrative.” – Edith Wharton
Wharton Wednesdays at The Mount
The charming and entertaining Wednesday readings during the summer inspired Edith Wharton on Audio Vol.1. Its been standing room only lately.
BTF's Harrison Gibbons reading The Rembrandt
Michael Brahce reading "His Father's Son". First appeared in "Tales of Men and Ghosts" in 1910.
Tags: Blackstone Audio, Edith Wharton, Edith Wharton Restoration, Henry James, The Mount
