Showing results by author "Booth Tarkington" in All Categories

The Ultimate Classics Collection: Volume Four is the fourth instalment of our wide-ranging classic collections. Volume Four features 12 timeless works that largely focuses on the greats of American and British literature, with novels from Charles Dickens, Edith Wharton, Thomas Hardy, Victor Hugo, and others. Read by a cast of incredible narrators including Miranda Raison, Pearl Mackie, Adam Sims, David Rintoul, and more, this is a chance to expand your listening with some of the greatest authors of all time.

Like most children, Penrod gets caught up in his own elaborate lies with hilarious results. His friends and his dog accompany him on his many jaunts, from the stage as "the Child Sir Lancelot", to the playground, to school. They make names for themselves as "bad boys" who, fittingly, always have the most fun. This humorous, thoughtful story is a wonderful example of the real-life characterization and attention to detail for which Tarkington is celebrated.

In a lively Midwestern town, Laura and Cora Madison, along with their younger brother Hedrick, navigate the complex web of Cora’s array of discarded suitors. While Coras flirtatious antics exasperate the moody Hedrick, they intrigue the more reserved Laura. The unexpected return of a charming former resident and a chance encounter with a troubled young person spark a whirlwind of events that lead to an emotionally charged climax. Booth Tarkingtons writing shines with sensitivity and insight. A celebrated American novelist and playwright, Tarkington is best known for his Pulitzer ...

Meet Penrod Schofield—eleven years old, endlessly curious, and a magnet for scrapes. Set in a Midwestern town at the turn of the twentieth century, Penrod follows a boy whose imagination routinely collides with adult rules: backyard “shows” that spiral into chaos, school pageants gone spectacularly wrong, neighborhood rivalries, and the fierce loyalty between a boy and his dog, Duke. Booth Tarkington’s classic is laugh-out-loud funny and surprisingly tender, a snapshot of American childhood that still feels true.

Alice Adams follows the day-to-day life of a young woman who dreams of climbing the social ladder and escaping from her middle-class background. She struggles with the constant tension between her parents and her older brother. When a wealthy young man becomes interested in her, she weaves a fictional life during their discussions; it is eventually exposed.

Published in 1923, Midlander is the third novel in Booth Tarkington’s acclaimed Growth trilogy, which also features The Turmoil and The Magnificent Ambersons. Renamed National Avenue in 1927, this captivating story follows Dan Oliphant, a figure of boundless optimism who possesses a unique foresight about the impending transformation of his Midwestern market town into a bustling industrial city. Through a series of vivid vignettes, the novel explores Dans life and the diverse reactions of his family to both his character and the sweeping changes around them. At its core, Midlander poses ...

In the heart of small-town America during the early 1900s, the charming yet wayward Joe Louden finds himself hopelessly in love with the daughter of a wealthy judge. After leaving town to pursue a law degree, he returns with a mission—to defend the seemingly impossible and challenge the status quo. As he takes on scandalous cases, Joe not only wins the hearts of his fellow townsfolk but also ignites a conversation about social inequity, honor, and the changing tides of morality. Join us for a tale that explores the complexities of love, ambition, and the struggle for justice in a time of ...

Dive into the world of Alice Adams, a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel that vividly captures the struggles of a lower middle-class Midwestern family at the dawn of the 20th century as they strive to ascend the social ladder. At the center of this poignant tale is Alice, a determined young woman yearning for a better life and a place in society. As noted by Gerard Previn Meyer, Alice Adams transcends its role as a social history; it resonates with readers through its depiction of a lovable girl who, despite her flaws, captures our hearts. (Summary by Jeannie)

Short stories have always been a sort of instant access into an author’s brain, their soul and heart. They can lift our lives into locations, people and experiences with a sweep of landscape, narration, feelings and emotions that is difficult to achieve elsewhere. The plains of the American Mid-West are home to some very fine exponents of the literary craft. Throughout this vast landscape stories seem to be everywhere offering their experiences as works just awaiting the final touches and flourishes of these famed authors. They deliver in very talented ways.

Short stories have always been a sort of instant access into an author’s brain, their soul and heart. They can lift our lives into locations, people and experiences with a sweep of landscape, narration, feelings and emotions that is difficult to achieve elsewhere. A new century dawns, one in which America would become pre-eminent as its industrial might and military power rose above all others. In literature too its authors tackled new forms and new ideas, they shied away from little, immersing themselves and their readers in the promise of a new Century.

In a world where a gentlemans identity is defined more by his essence than his actions, the Amberson familys reputation hangs in a delicate balance. At the heart of this struggle is George Amberson Minafer, the sole heir expected to uphold his familys proud traditions. Despite the elegance provided by wealthy relatives, George is a young man consumed by superficiality. This is a consequence, perhaps, of his mothers unwavering love, which prioritizes his happiness over her own. As Georges perceptive uncle notes, “life and money both behave like loose quicksilver in a nest of cracks.” Amidst...

Dive into the world of The Magnificent Ambersons, a captivating 1918 novel by Booth Tarkington that earned the Pulitzer Prize in 1919. This gripping tale is the second installment of the Growth trilogy, which also includes The Turmoil (1915) and The Midlander (1923, later retitled National Avenue). Set against the backdrop of a rapidly changing America, the story chronicles the rise and fall of the aristocratic Amberson family across three generations in a fictional Midwestern town, capturing the essence of a nation in the throes of industrialization and social upheaval. As the Ambersons ...

Turmoil is the captivating first novel in the Growth trilogy, which also features The Magnificent Ambersons (1918) and The Midlander (1923, later retitled National Avenue in 1927). In 1942, Orson Welles brought the second volume to life with his film adaptation, also titled The Magnificent Ambersons. This trilogy intricately explores the evolution of the United States through the lens of the declining fortunes of the aristocratic Amberson family in a fictional Midwestern town, set against the backdrop of the rapid industrialization and socio-economic transformation that occurred between the ...

Dive into the captivating tale of two young American painters making their way in Paris. Unlike their more flamboyant contemporaries, such as the scandal-prone Larrabee Harman—whose wild escapades include a remarkable incident involving one of the painters’ cousins—these artists lead a moderate life. One fateful evening, they observe Harman on the Boulevard, accompanied by a renowned dancer. The following day, tragedy strikes as he becomes a victim of a car accident and is rushed to the hospital, his survival uncertain. Little do they know, Harman’s fate intertwines with theirs in ...

Raffaele Ansolinis life in Paris isnt as glamorous as it seems, especially when funds are running low. In a desperate bid to make ends meet, he shaves his head and transforms it into a quirky advertising space for a local theatre. But this unusual choice isnt exactly the ideal way to meet the most beautiful woman in the city. Will he manage to reconnect with her against all odds? - Summary by Carolin

Set in the Midwest in the early 20th century---the dawn of the automobile age--- The Magnificent Ambersons begins by introducing the Ambersons, the richest family in town. Exemplifying aristocratic excess, the Ambersons have everything money can buy - and more. But George Amberson Minafer, the spoiled grandson of the family patriarch, is unable to see that great societal changes are taking place.

The Magnificent Ambersons chronicles the changing fortunes of three generations of an American dynasty. The family serves as a metaphor for the old society that crumbled after the Industrial Revolution, as a Midwestern town spreads and darkens into a city.

Dive into Seventeen A Tale of Youth and Summer Time and the Baxter Family, Especially William, a witty exploration of first love through the eyes of the charmingly naïve 17-year-old, William Sylvanus Baxter. Set in a quaint Midwestern town just before the onset of World War I, this delightful novel by Booth Tarkington masterfully blends humor with a nostalgic look at youth. Originally published as a series of sketches in the Metropolitan Magazine in 1914 and later compiled into a bestselling novel in 1916, Seventeen remains a timeless reflection on the follies and joys of young romance. (...

Join the uproarious adventures of Penrod Schofield and his band of friends—Sam Williams, Herman, Verman, Georgie, Maurice, and the enchanting Marjorie Jones. Experience the laughter and mischief that define their youthful escapades! (Summary by Jonathan)

Join Penrod Schofield and his lovable dog Duke on a delightful and humorous adventure through turn-of-the-century Indianapolis. Follow Penrod as he navigates life, love, and the endless mischief that seems to find him at every turn. (Summary by Jonathan)