Booth Tarkington (1869–1946,) fully Newton Booth Tarkington, was an American novelist, dramatist, and children’s writer. One of the most prolific American authors in the early 19th century, he wrote more than 40 novels, 30 plays and screenplays, and several collections of short stories.
Born in Indianapolis, Tarkington studied at Purdue and Princeton but did not take a degree. He is best known for his satirical and occasionally romanticized portrayals of American Midwesterners (many of his novels are set in Indiana,) beginning with The Gentleman from Indiana (1899) and Monsieur Beaucaire (1900.)
Between 1907 and 1910, Tarkington wrote plays, mostly comedies such as Your Humble Servant (1909) and Springtime (1909,) many in collaboration with Harry Wilson and Julian Street.
The humorous ‘Penrod’ series of young adult novels—Penrod (1914,) Penrod and Sam (1916,) Penrod Jashber (1929,) and Seventeen (1916)—features the young boy Penrod Schofield, based on Tarkington’s own memories of growing up in Indiana.
Tarkington’s other works include a trilogy, Growth (1927,) including The Magnificent Ambersons (1918; Pulitzer.) This chronicle of three generations of a leading Indiana family and their decline during a period of transition was adapted into the film The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) by Orson Welles. Alice Adams (1921; Pulitzer) portrays an ordinary girl whose illusions are shattered when a love affair with a gentleman above her in social rank ends when he meets her mediocre family. The World Does Move (1928) is a book of reminiscences.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Booth Tarkington
Gossip’s a nasty thing, but it’s sickly, and if people of good intentions will let it entirely alone, it will die, ninety-nine times out of a hundred.
—Booth Tarkington
An ideal wife is any woman who has an ideal husband.
—Booth Tarkington
Topics: Decisions, Indecision
So long as we can lose any happiness, we possess some.
—Booth Tarkington
Topics: Happiness, Blessings, Gratitude, Appreciation
Arguments only confirm people in their own opinions.
—Booth Tarkington
Topics: Opinion, One liners
Youth cannot imagine romance apart from youth.
—Booth Tarkington
Topics: Romance
There are two things that will be believed of any man whatsoever, and one of them is that he has taken to drink.
—Booth Tarkington
Topics: Alcohol
Destiny has a constant passion for the incongruous.
—Booth Tarkington
Topics: Fate
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