Book Bartender™Pour me a book
The Custom of the CountryEdith Wharton

Classic fiction

The Custom of the Country

by Edith Wharton

Undine Spragg arrives in New York from the Midwest determined to acquire the status, admiration, and wealth she believes life owes her. Marriage after marriage becomes a means of advancement as she crosses between American money and European aristocracy, leaving other people to absorb the cost of her dissatisfaction. Undine's energy is genuine, but her appetite expands each time she reaches the goal that was supposed to satisfy it. Acidly funny and unsparing, this social satire is ideal for readers who enjoy ambitious antiheroines, transatlantic manners, consumer culture, and a protagonist whose success exposes rather than corrects the values of her world.

Paired for this story

Burma Milk Tea + Island Rum Punch

Jump to the pours ↓

Choose your bookseller

Find the Book

Print retailers offer a search when an exact edition is unavailable. Kindle links open a specific edition. Audiobook links may open an edition or a search.

Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Book Bartender earns from qualifying purchases. Bookshop.org links also earn us a commission on qualifying purchases. Your price is not affected. Read the full affiliate disclosure.

At a glance

Know what you're getting into

Spice2 of 5
Suspense1 of 5
Creepy0 of 5
What do these symbols mean? →

No surprises at chapter twelve

Content notes

Infidelity and repeated divorce/remarriage; toxic and manipulative relationships; child neglect and custody conflict; abandonment; suicide and death; class prejudice and financial exploitation.

Alcohol-Free Pour

Burma Milk Tea

Honey and milk turn brewed tea into a soft, comforting cup.

What you'll need

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

How to mix it

  1. Steep the tea and any herbs or whole spices in hot water according to the tea type, then strain. Stir in sweetener and juices. Serve hot.
  2. Garnish: Citrus peel, herb, or fruit from the recipe, if applicable.
  3. Glassware: Mug.
21+

Cocktail Pour · 21+

Island Rum Punch

For adults of legal drinking age. Please drink responsibly.

A bold, warming pour suits a lively, lighthearted reading mood.

What you'll need

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

How to mix it

  1. Shake all ingredients with ice and strain over fresh ice in a tall glass.
  2. Garnish: Orange wheel or pineapple wedge.
  3. Glassware: Highball glass.

Set up the bar cart

Shop the Barware

Find the glasses and tools for your next pour.

Browse the bar cart
See this book's two drink pairings ↓ See this book's two drink pairings ↓