Showing results for "Booth Tarkington" in World Literature

The Magnificent Ambersons tells the story of the rise and fall of a wealthy Midwestern family as America transitions from a genteel, aristocratic society to a fast-paced, industrial age. At the center is George Amberson Minafer, the spoiled heir of the proud Amberson family, who struggles to accept change and the loss of his family's social status.

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.

A young man disguised as a barber forces a noble whom he has caught cheating at cards to introduce him to the lovely Lady Mary Carlisle. Love flourishes, tempers flare, and swords clash in the ensuing results!

The American literary tradition has, in a far shorter span of time than others throughout history, achieved a glowing and glittering reputation. From its transatlantic roots it has absorbed the sons and daughters of other cultures, other lands and made them part of her own. Within this melting pot of styles, genres and wordplay one fact stands out: In the American short story, literary tradition has a strong, vibrant and almost inclusive history, if you know where to look.