Booth Tarkington
7 SeriesBooth Tarkington (1869-1946) was an American novelist renowned for his Pulitzer Prize-winning works, The Magnificent Ambersons and Alice Adams. He secured the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction multiple times, a distinction shared with only William Faulkner and John Updike. During the 1910s and 1920s, Tarkington was regarded as America's foremost living author.
Alice Adams, by Booth Tarkington, follows the titular character in a post-World War I Midwestern town as she attracts the attention of the affluent Arthur Russell. Desperate to conceal her family's lower-middle-class status, Alice and her parents devise schemes to maintain their social standing. Despite her efforts, the truth about her family's situation eventually surfaces, causing her relationship with Arthur to deteriorate. Accepting her circumstances, Alice demonstrates resilience by seeking employment to support her family. This poignant story highlights the strength and adaptability of the human spirit in the face of social and economic challenges.
