Any Booth Tarkington Fans?

[superconnected]

Anyone else here read Booth Tarkington books?

I discovered him recently. My favorite is Turmoil. It's the first one in the series that included the Magnificent Ambersons.

I downloaded most of his books from the internet archive site(way better than guttenberg project because it has more books than guttenberg, on the same authors).

I'm looking for someone else to recommend books by him and discuss what titles he wrote are about since many don't have reviews on internet. I've read 5 of his books so far.

[no_hypocrisy]

1. "Penrod" seems like another world.

You somehow can't believe life was that simple, so idyllic for a child.

[Warpy]

2. I've been a fan since I was a kid

"Penrod" is still a favorite of mine. The racism is shocking to me now, but some of the descriptions of various types of all races are spot on. "Seventeen" is also a great favorite of mine.

[november3rd]

3. 1st editions

I inherited an autographed set of first editions from my aunt, but I haven't read any except "The Magnificent Ambersens."

[superconnected]

4. That is so cool that you have first editions. Double cool that you inherited them.

From what I've seen magnificent ambersons is good but it is far dryer than his other books. It was enough to get me reading more. I did really like the story by the end. I didn't want to see the Boy get run over by progress.

I think the other ones are more entertaining for entertainment value, but still deal with his penchant for making or breaking people financially.

I know 70 movies have been made out of his books now - several are remakes of the same movies. I've only seen the Orson Well's Magnificent Ambersons though.

I really enjoyed Seventeen and Alice adams. Turmoil is my very favorite so far though. The character of James Sheridan was great imo. (the father in the book.) And I loved how the girl kept selling her stuff and not acting like she was getting poorer and poorer to the rich family. Her family was trying to hide their sinking into poverty. I liked the char of bibs too. I don't get why books aren't written like that anymore.

I haven't read his penrod books yet. I'm gathering from internet that those are what his readers remember the most. His kids books.

Right now I'm reading Midlander - the last in the 3 book series after Magnificent Ambersons.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

5. The Magnifiecent Ambersons is fantastic!

And quite relevant to today in my opinion. Much of it is about real estate, believe it or not and the push to develop outside of town centers. Some of it is also about stocks and gullible people being duped into buying stocks in things they have absolutely no knowlege about. Also some stuff about the wastrel ways of second generations living off the fruits of the first. And, even some material about work safety or lack thereoif.

I think it holds up beautifully for a modern reader.