The Fruit of the Tree

In this daring and provocative novel, Edith Wharton tackles industrial reform, medical ethics, and the agonizing burden of compassion. Idealistic mill manager John Amherst marries wealthy mill owner Bessy Westmore to enact humane labor changes, only to find their marriage fractured by incompatibility. When Bessy suffers a fatal accident, devoted nurse Justine Brent ends her unbearable suffering, sparking a moral crisis that tests love and honour.