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Könyvszemle | Kovács, Ágnes Zsófia: The Memory of Architecture in Edith Wharton’s Travel Writings (New York: Routledge, 2025)

Introduction

Könyvszemle | kovács, Ágnes zsófia: the memory of architecture in edith wharton’s travel writings (new york: routledge, 2025). Review of Ágnes Zsófia Kovács's 'The Memory of Architecture in Edith Wharton’s Travel Writings.' Explore how architecture shapes memory in Wharton's literary journeys. Routledge, 2025.

Abstract

Kovács, Ágnes Zsófia. 2025. The Memory of Architecture in Edith Wharton’s Travel Writings. New York: Routledge, 212 oldal. ISBN9781003442189

Review

Kovács, Ágnes Zsófia's forthcoming monograph, *The Memory of Architecture in Edith Wharton’s Travel Writings*, published by Routledge in 2025, promises to be a significant contribution to Wharton studies and interdisciplinary scholarship. The title immediately signals a rich intersection of literary analysis, architectural history, and memory studies, focusing on one of America's most discerning literary figures. Wharton’s profound engagement with built environments, often explored in her fiction, gains a fresh perspective here by foregrounding her extensive travel writings, an aspect of her oeuvre that, while acknowledged, may not always receive dedicated scholarly attention through this specific lens. The publication by a reputable academic press like Routledge further attests to the anticipated scholarly rigor and contribution of this work. This study is poised to explore how architecture functions not merely as a descriptive backdrop in Wharton's travel narratives but as a potent vehicle for memory. Readers can anticipate a deep dive into Wharton’s perceptive observations of structures, spaces, and cities, analyzing how these encounters trigger, shape, and articulate personal, cultural, and historical remembrance. The book will likely investigate the various ways Wharton's travelogues engage with the "memory of architecture" – perhaps examining architectural ruins as physical manifestations of historical memory, or how specific building styles evoke particular eras or cultural identities. This approach offers a compelling framework for understanding Wharton's aesthetic sensibilities, her engagement with European heritage, and her broader reflections on transience, modernity, and tradition as filtered through her architectural gaze. Ultimately, *The Memory of Architecture in Edith Wharton’s Travel Writings* is set to appeal to a diverse academic audience, including scholars of American literature, architectural history, memory studies, and travel writing. By focusing on the interplay between Wharton's literary prowess, her architectural acumen, and the complex mechanisms of memory, Kovács’s work has the potential to shed new light on Wharton's intellectual landscape and her enduring relevance. The concise page count of 212 pages suggests a focused and impactful argument, making it a valuable resource for both established scholars and graduate students exploring these intersecting fields.

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