Hudson River Bracketed is a novel by Edith Wharton, first published in 1929. It tells the story of two wealthy New York families, the Dagonets and the Van Zandts, and their intertwined lives. The novel follows the lives of the two families over the course of several decades, beginning in the late 19th century. The Dagonets are a family of old money, while the Van Zandts are a family of new money. The two families are connected through the marriage of the Dagonet daughter, Elinor, to the Van Zandt son, John. The novel explores the themes of class, money, and power, as well as the changing social mores of the time. It also examines the relationships between the two families, and how they are affected by their different backgrounds. The novel is set in the Hudson River Valley, and the title refers to the bracketed shape of the river. The novel is considered to be one of Wharton's best works, and is often seen as a precursor to her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Age of Innocence.
By Edith Wharton · First published 1929 · Genre: Realistic Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction · 46 chapters