The Magnificent AmbersonsSelected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best novels of all time Winner of the Pulitzer Prize when it was first published in 1918, The Magnificent Ambersons chronicles the changing fortunes of three generations of an American dynasty. The protagonist of Booth Tarkington's great historical drama is George Amberson Minafer, the spoiled and arrogant grandson of the founder of the family's magnificence. Eclipsed by a new breed of developers, financiers, and manufacturers, this pampered scion begins his gradual descent from the midwestern aristocracy to the working class. Today The Magnificent Ambersons is best known through the 1942 Orson Welles movie, but as the critic Stanley Kauffmann noted, "It is high time that [the novel] appear again, to stand outside the force of Welles's genius, confident in its own right." "The Magnificent Ambersons is perhaps Tarkington's best novel," judged Van Wyck Brooks. "[It is] a typical story of an American family and town--the great family that locally ruled the roost and vanished virtually in a day as the town spread and darkened into a city. This novel no doubt was a permanent page in the social history of the United States, so admirably conceived and written was the tale of the Ambersons, their house, their fate and the growth of the community in which they were submerged in the end." |
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Alice Adams Amberson Mansion asked Aunt Fanny automobile began better Booth Tarkington cat-tails chair Charlie Johnson cotillion course cried dance dear dinner door Eugene Morgan Eugene's eyes face Fanny Minafer Fanny's father feel Fred Kinney gave George Amberson Minafer George drew George rose George uttered George's Georgie Minafer girl Git a hoss Good-night grandfather guess hand hear heard Isabel knew lady laughed live look Lopa Lucy Morgan Lucy's Magnificent Ambersons Major matter mean mind Miss Fanny Miss Morgan mother National Avenue nephew never Newton Booth night old Frank Papa pretty queer-looking duck riffraff runabout seemed smile speak spoke stared stood street suppose sure table d'hôte talk Tarkington tell thing thought told town turned Uncle George voice waiting walked wanly What's white pony Wilbur window young