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The Conquest of CanaanDownload Now...

by Booth Tarkington (Author)

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Text URL:

http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/483

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E-book

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ISBN:

140654888X

Page Count:

244

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http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/140654888X

Download this text: The Conquest of Canaan

Product Description

Newton Booth Tarkington (1869-1946) was an American novelist and dramatist best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning novels The Magnificent Ambersons and Alice Adams. Booth Tarkington was born in Indianapolis. He first attended Purdue University but graduated from Princeton University in 1893. While at Princeton he was the editor of the Nassau Literary Magazine and formed the Princeton Triangle Club. He was also voted the most popular man in his class. He was one of the most popular American novelists of his time, with The Two Vanrevels and Mary's Neck appearing on the annual best-seller lists nine times. Tarkington's best known work today is The Magnificent Ambersons, which traced the growth of the United States through the decline of the oncepowerful and aristocratic Amberson family dynasty, contrasted against the rise of industrial tycoons and "new money" families in the economic boom years after the Civil War leading up to World War I. Amongst his other works are The Man From Home (1908), The Flirt (1913), Penrod (1914), Harlequin and Columbine (1918), The Gibson Upright (1919), In the Arena (1920) and Gentle Julia (1922).

Customer Review: Typical early Tarkington

A tale about a social pariah, Joe Louden, who as a young man is maligned and much talked about in the small midwestern town of Canaan. Leader of the talkers is Judge Pike, the richest and most powerful man in the city. Joe, even though he is poor, turns to reading books and studying law in his spare time. He eventually leaves town and gets himself through law school. He begins to practice law and only handles the scoundrels of the town because Pike and the rest of the town scolds anyone who should use his services. With the help of a woman, he wins the respect of Canaan and is able to usurp Pike's power.
I thought this book was fairly dry. There were some interesting parts, but overall, I found it hard to get into. I suspect, Tarkington's early works were not as polished and his older ones.

Book Categories:

Fiction
Books / Subjects / Literature & Fiction / General
Books / Subjects / Literature & Fiction / Contemporary
Books / Refinements / Binding (binding) / Paperback
Books / Refinements / Format (feature_browse-bin) / Printed Books

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