I'll Agree to Every Third Dance

The Magnificent Ambersons
by Booth Tarkington

I began my journey of reading the top 100 novels according to the Modern Library with this tale by Booth Tarkington of an aristocratic family's rise and decline following the American civil war.  Taking place in Midland, at the beginning of the novel the Ambersons, headed by its patriarch the Major, are the talk of the town.  Everything in town seems to surround them and in fact the family is at the center of the town.

The novel focuses on the third generation of this family, George Amberson Minafer.  Described in his teen years as almost a men among boys, the author sets him up as a thoroughly unlikable person.  When Tarkington talks of how seemingly everyone in Midland wants the spoiled, rich, only-child of Isabel Amberson to "get his comeuppance," the reader is naturally included in that group.

However, the brilliance of the novel lies in that as it progresses, we see George gradually grow in very slight and subtle ways.  When inevitably tragedy does befall him, we've found ourselves sad to see it happen.  Dislike for the character in the beginning over the course of 250 pages evolves into feelings of encourage, pity and paternalism for the character.  It is not until the end that we see just how much George really has changed.

Tarkington also does a tremendous job really painting a picture of how Midland changes from the time of George's birth to his early adulthood.  We see how the city has changed, not just physically but also culturally.  The small world at the beginning ceases to be by the end.  It is through these descriptions of the people around George and his family that we really see the social commentary of Booth Tarkington come to life. Written in 1918, the books primary setting is the turn of the 20th century and speaks to the author's regard for the rapid urban sprawl of the time as well as technological advancement.

All and all, The Magnificent Amberson is a great read and one where the reader will find themselves enjoying a variety of rich characters tremendously.

Days Elapsed: 5
Books Completed: 1/100
Pages Read: 258
Money Spent: $0.00