Tarkington, Booth, 1869-1946

"These were written at periods when Mr. Tarkington and Susanah [his wife] were in Indianapolis and they wanted to have news from Kennebunkport, Maine. We had known him very shortly after we moved to Kennebunkport in about 1917, after the war. He was known as 'the gentleman from Indiana' and was a well known author at the time the first letter in this collection was written. . . . Mr. Tarkington had rented a house in Kennebunkport for many years but decided that he would like to design his own plans for a house. When he built his new house and was collecting pictures, as he always did, he asked me to paint a portrait of Susanah and to do two panels for the dining room." --Mildred G. Burrage, 28 September 1979 [from the collection]

From the description of Booth Tarkington letters to the Burrages, 1938-1946. (Princeton University Library). WorldCat record id: 82001588

American novelist and dramatist.

From the description of Letters, 1921-1923. (Columbia University In the City of New York). WorldCat record id: 122404726

American Novelist.

From the description of Booth Tarkington letters, 1907-1924. (University of California, Berkeley). WorldCat record id: 62858556

Booth Tarkington (1869–1946), native of Indianapolis and student at Purdue and Princeton universities (Princeton Class of 1893), was perhaps Indiana's most famous author, both as a playwright and as novelist. His best-known works were written in the first decades of the twentieth century: The Gentleman from Indiana (1899), Penrod (1910), Seventeen (1917), The Magnificent Ambersons (1918), and Alice Adams (1921). The last two won Pulitzer Prizes. In his work he showed an appreciation of the development of his native city, and an amiable understanding of the real and imagined problems of young people. He was an early member of The Dramatic Club, founded in 1889, and often wrote plays and directed and acted in its productions.

From the guide to the Booth Tarkington Papers, 1812-1956, 1812-1956, 1899-1946, (Princeton University. Library. Dept. of Rare Books and Special Collections)

Indianapolis novelist and playwright. Tarkington was an early member of the Dramatic Club, and an art collector. During his later years he spent about half the year at his home in Kennebunkport, Me.

From the description of Collection, ca. 1850-1979. (Indiana Historical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 9239589

Tarkington was an Indianapolis, Ind. novelist and playwright. Later in his life Tarkington spent half the year in Indianapolis and the other half in Kennebunkport, Me. Miss Chapin seems to have been the secretary of Henry G. Leach, editor of the FORUM magazine.

From the description of Letter, 1925 November 21, Kennebunkport, Me. [to] Miss Chapin. (Indiana Historical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 36420990

Booth Tarkington was a popular, successful, and productive American writer. His best work is characterized by style, wit, and vivid social realism, and is generally well-crafted and entertaining. He wrote novels, plays, short stories, and essays, and was awarded two of the first four Pulitzer Prizes for novels.

From the description of Booth Tarkington letter to Mr. Silberman, 1943 Sept. 4. (Pennsylvania State University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 51797908

Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, dramatist from Indiana, best known for THE GENTLEMAN FROM INDIANA, THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS, and such books about adolescents as PENROD and SEVENTEEN.

From the description of Booth Tarkington collection, 1903-1947. (Princeton University Library). WorldCat record id: 122510325

American novelist.

From the description of Photograph of Booth Tarkington, 1939 December. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 31084359

Author. Name in full: Newton Booth Tarkington.

From the description of Claire Ambler : holograph ms., undated. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 71070221

American author.

From the description of Papers of Booth Tarkington [manuscript], 1892-1945. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 647870365

From the description of Silent film scenario [manuscript], n.d. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 647858888

From the description of Papers of Booth Tarkington [manuscript], 1924, and n.d. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 647837266

From the description of Papers of Booth Tarkington, 1892-1945. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 34689928

From the description of Autograph letters signed (3) : Capri and Rome, to Dr. Baldwin, [1905 June] 19, 1905 Nov. 11, and [no year] Apr. 3. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270860456

From the description of Typewritten letter signed : Kennbunkport, Maine, to Arthur William Brown, 1919 Jul. 23. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270581223

From the description of Autograph letter signed and with a self-caricature : New York, to Thomas B. Wells of Harper & Bros., 1905. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270574442

Author.

From the description of Booth Tarkington papers, 1905. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 70983941

Writer, politician.

Two time Pulitzer prizes winner, Booth Tarkington was best known for his narratives describing middle-class life in the American Midwest of the early twentieth century. First published at age 6 in the Saturday Evening Post, Tarkington drifted for many years until moving to New York City in 1895 where he wrote his first novel, The Gentleman from Indiana in 1899. In 1902 Tarkington married and was elected to a seat in the Indiana House of Representatives, which he was forced to give.

Up due to illness in 1903. By the 1920s Tarkington was living in the suburbs of Indianapolis, Indiana, and wintering in Kennebunkport, Maine which served as inspiration for many more of his works.

From the description of I am for Willkie because ..., Oct. 6, 1940. (University of Florida). WorldCat record id: 50750731