Public reader discussion about The Magnificent Ambersons in the WeRead Catalog by Booth Tarkington.
By amber22
I feel like people don’t really read Uncle Tom’s Cabin anymore. Booth Tarkington ended up winning two Pulitzers, but he doesn’t seem to get talked about as one of the all-time great American writers (The Magnificent Ambersons still gets mentioned mostly because of the movie, I think). What other “classics” have sort of fallen out of favor?
By jartiny2002
I saw someone else mention this, but there’s a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about the area—*The Magnificent Ambersons* by Booth Tarkington. I think it’s set in a slightly fictional version of Indy, but you can still totally spot the neighborhood. It’s pretty interesting seeing how things were changing there in the early 1900s. And yeah, it’s also got this spoiled rich guy who basically gets everything when he’s young, so some of it is genuinely infuriating, even though the book is still solid and pretty quick to get through.
By CanyonLavender1985
Pretty classic Western—like one of the old ones everyone knows about.
By IanInAustin
I’m looking for some suggestions—like I’ve hit all the books that usually get shoved on “must read” lists, and I’m trying to find a hidden gem or two. If you can’t think of just one title or series, feel free to name authors instead.
By BronzeRaven9101
It might help to have a discussion organized around things like: - how well it’s built / how long it lasts - how it looks - font size - font weight - how good the intro and notes are - how much variety there is - translations - the price
By Fern_Basket
I didn’t really mean to pick this up. I’d heard about the Orson Welles movie version, but I haven’t watched it, and from what I knew it sounded pretty bleak. Then I ended up in a shop that sells those blank books where they use the cover and pull a page or two from older novels, and once I read the little excerpt in it, I couldn’t stop. I’m usually more into plot than anything, and this one felt way more character-focused, with a ton of nice, detailed descriptions. I usually roll my eyes at that sort of thing, but somehow the writing still grabbed me—and some of it was genuinely funny. I also went in thinking it was basically about a rich family slowly falling apart, but it felt more like a closer look at people and society, with a lot of heartbreak. The ending was kind of devastating in a good way, too. Overall, I’d say it’s worth reading. Now I just don’t know if I should also try to watch the film.
By putty_sky
Thanks for sharing—free ebooks usually come with pretty bad formatting.
By honeyCurious2003
I started this local library reading challenge back in January—finish a book set in every state before Dec 31. I’m really trying to find some good picks for the ones I still need. Arkansas Indiana Iowa Mississippi Montana Nebraska Nevada North Dakota Oklahoma Rhode Island Tennessee I’m good with fiction or non-fiction. I don’t normally go for fantasy or romance, but if it helps knock a state off the list, I’ll give it a shot.
By LibrarySinigrin7
I’ve always been into books like *Our Town*, *Spoon River Anthology*, and *Poor White* just because they get into how modern life messes with old, established communities. Is there a name for that kind of small-town American story from that era (like a genre or movement)? And does anyone have recommendations for similar stuff?
By WoodBinary
Honestly, this one is all about 188 words for rain for me. It’s this weird little BBC weather department thing, and yeah, the title basically tells you what you’re getting. A whole book built around 188-word descriptions of rain in the UK. Sounds totally dull on paper, but the writing makes it feel like you’re on one of those old steam trains, just getting a tour of Britain while everyone chatters about weather. The prose is kind of cute and cozy, like being wrapped up in a blanket. And if you’re from the UK (or just really into UK stuff), I feel like you’ll end up obsessed. Also, it has like 4 reviews on Goodreads. Four.
By notebookPencil
I started trying to read all the Pulitzer winners for Fiction, and I’m not gonna lie—early on, His Family by Ernest Poole kind of threw me. It was an enjoyable enough story and it felt pretty relevant to America back then, but the writing itself seemed way too simple and honestly not great. I kept thinking, “Did I miss something?” because the next winner, The Magnificent Ambersons by Booth Tarkington, felt so much stronger. Has anyone else felt similarly about His Family, or am I just reading it wrong?