Shedding the turn-of-the-century social confines she felt existed for women in America, Edith Wharton set out in the newly invented "motor-car" to explore the cities and countryside of France. In A Motor-Flight Through France, originally published in 1908, Wharton combines the power of her prose, her love for travel, and her affinity for France to produce this compelling travelogue.

A Motor-Flight Through France by Edith Wharton: Embark on a captivating journey across the picturesque landscapes of France with Edith Wharton's travelogue, A Motor-Flight Through France. Wharton's vivid descriptions and keen observations transport readers to the charming villages, historic landmarks, and breathtaking vistas of the French countryside. Key Points: Chronicles Edith Wharton's personal experiences and adventures while traveling through France by motorcar. Provides a unique perspective on the cultural, social, and historical aspects of France during the early 20th century. Combines travel narrative with Wharton's eloquent prose and literary sensibilities, creating a vivid and engaging reading experience. Edith Wharton, an iconic American author of the early 20th century, is celebrated for her keen observations of society and her exquisite prose. Born into New York's elite upper-class, Wharton deftly explored the complexities of human relationships, particularly within the constraints of societal expectations. Her works, including The Age of Innocence and The House of Mirth, portrayed the stifling conventions of the Gilded Age and the emotional struggles faced by her characters. Wharton's literary prowess earned her the distinction of being the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1921, solidifying her place as a literary trailblazer.

This work includes the never before published photograph album presented by Orville Wright in 1920 by the widow of French Industrialist, Leon Bollee. The photographs were taken during the Wrights' 1908-1909 visit to France

There were eccentric characters in the hotel. The Paris slums are a gathering-place for eccentric people—people who have fallen into solitary, half-mad grooves of life and given up trying to be normal or decent. Poverty frees them from ordinary standards of behaviour, just as money frees people from work. Some of the lodgers in our hotel lived lives that were curious beyond words. There were the Rougiers, for instance, an old, ragged, dwarfish couple who plied an extraordinary trade. They used to sell postcards on the Boulevard St Michel. The curious thing was that the postcards were sold in sealed packets as pornographic ones, but were actually photographs of chateaux on the Loire; the buyers did not discover this till too late, and of course never complained. The Rougiers earned about a hundred francs a week, and by strict economy managed to be always half starved and half drunk. The filth of their room was such that one could smell it on the floor below. According to Madame F., neither of the Rougiers had taken off their clothes for four years.