Determined to up their social status, Mrs. Adams and her daughter Alice make poignant, hilarious attempts to impose themselves on high society. Mrs. Adams even emotionally blackmails her husband into leaving his job for a risky venture. This penetrating portrait of a wife who wants more, a husband torn by conflicting loyalties, and a social-climbing daughter is a compelling satire iced with a comic veneer and served by a brilliant observer of American life. Reprint.
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Determined to up their social status, Mrs. Adams and her daughter Alice make poignant, hilarious attempts to impose themselves on high society. Mrs. Adams even emotionally blackmails her husband into leaving his job for a risky venture. This penetrating portrait of a wife who wants more, a husband torn by conflicting loyalties, and a social-climbing daughter is a compelling satire iced with a comic veneer and served by a brilliant observer of American life. Reprint.
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Good. A copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition. All pages are intact, and the cover is intact (including dust cover, if applicable). The spine may show signs of wear. Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include "From the library of" labels or limited small stickers. Book may have a remainder mark or be a price cutter.
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Good. There is a signature or handwriting on the inside front cover. Pages are clean! The cover has visible markings and wear. Some corner dings. Fast Shipping-Each order powers our free bookstore in Chicago and sending books to Africa!
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PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
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PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
Tarkington writes about small town Indiana in the early Twentieth Century better than anyone. Alice Adams is an ambitious social climber, but coming from a poor family it's a hard climb. A handsome young man of 'good quality' is attracted to Alice, but she can't be herself. She must make up stories to put her and her family in a better light. When her father's business venture develops into a scandal, she sees the error of her ways and faces her future with her head held high while remaining loyal to her family. This was a very enjoyable read...
GypsyLee
Jun 25, 2009
An underrated classic-
An underrated classic, pure Americana- warts and all. Proof yet again that a good contemporary novel beats a ?historical? one any day. The kind of book you?ll want to have on your shelf, to read again.
Tarkington was very much a product of his time, and his language reflects this. Translation: the novel contains racist terms and characterizations which, interestingly enough, only serve to reinforce its original premise: the ugliness of the ?class system? of early 20th century America, and the utter futility of one outsider?s struggle to bluff her way into its upper stratum. Blind to her own prejudices, the heroine is painfully sensitive to the treatment she receives as an outsider; contrast this with her brother, far more egalitarian in his associations, yet so discouraged by hisown clear-sightedness that he makes a classic error. The African-Americans in the story provide a resonant counterpoint: despite the ?minstrelization? of their characters, they have the collective effect of a Greek chorus, which I believe was the author?s intention, though I am not one of those who claim he did not himself buy into the bigotries he depicted. Put another way, Yes: Tarkington did in fact intend these characters to be ?clownish?; to have the effect (collectively) without the eerie dignity (individually or otherwise) of the classical Greek chorus.
Time, in my opinion, has had the last laugh.
My advice: hold your nose (over spots) and read it anyway. If you haven?t seen the 1935 Hollywood (-ending) version with Katherine Hepburn ? don?t bother (misses the point).
