Origins & Early Life

Newton Booth Tarkington (July 29, 1869 – May 19, 1946) was an American novelist and dramatist best known for his novels The Magnificent Ambersons (1918) and Alice Adams (1921). He is one of only four novelists to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction more than once, along with William Faulkner, John Updike, and Colson Whitehead. In the 1910s and 1920s he was considered the greatest living author in the United States. Several of his stories were adapted to film.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

During the first quarter of the 20th century, Tarkington, along with Meredith Nicholson, George Ade, Gene Stratton-Porter and James Whitcomb Riley helped create a Golden Age of literature in Indiana. Tarkington served one term in the Indiana House of Representatives, was critical of the advent of automobiles, and set many of his stories in the Midwest. He eventually moved to Kennebunkport, Maine, where he continued to work even as he suffered a loss of vision. He is often cited as an example of an author who enjoyed great success when alive, but whose reputation and influence did not survive his death. Tarkington was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on July 29, 1869, the son of John S.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Tarkington, a...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• André Gide — Contemporary (Born in 1869) (1869): Pioneering French author, Nobel laureate known for exploring selfhood and transgression.
• C. T. R. Wilson — Contemporary (Born in 1869) (1869): Pioneering meteorologist and physicist known for the invention of the cloud chamber.
• Calouste Gulbenkian — Contemporary (Born in 1869) (1869): Pioneering Armenian-British businessman who unlocked Middle Eastern oil and established major philanthropic foundations.
• Adam Michnik — Contemporary (Born in 1946) (1946): Prominent Polish intellectual, dissident, and journalist advocating for democracy.
• Al Green — Contemporary (Born in 1946) (1946): Iconic American soul singer, songwriter, and pastor celebrated for his timeless vocal artistry.
• André the Giant — Contemporary (Born in 1946) (1946): French wrestler and actor, famed for his colossal size and wrestling career.
• Alexis de Tocqueville — Shared historical date (07-29 · Born) (1805): French philosopher known for analyzing Western democracy and social trends.
• Benito Mussolini — Shared historical date (07-29 · Born) (1883): Italian dictator who founded fascism and ruled the Kingdom of Italy from 1922 to 1943.
• Abraham Pais — Shared historical date (05-19 · Born) (1918): Pioneering physicist and acclaimed science historian of modern physics.
• Alcuin — Shared historical date (05-19 · Died) (804): Leading scholar of the Carolingian Renaissance, influential teacher and clergyman.
• 1869 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1869
• July 29 (07-29) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on July 29
• 1946 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1946
• May 19 (05-19) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on May 19