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The Gentleman from Indiana
Booth Tarkington (1869-1946) was one of the most popular writers of the early 20th Century, who first achieved acclaim with his historical romance "Monsieur Beaucaire" (1900). But his more characteristic work was found in such novels as "The Gentleman from Indiana" (1899), "The Conquest of Canaan" (1905), and the trilogy consisting of "Turmoil" (1915), "The Magnificent Ambersons" (1918) and "The Midlander" (1921). He won two Pulitzer Prizes for novels, for "The Magnificent Ambersons" and for "Alice Adams" (1921). "The Magnificent Ambersons" was memorably filmed by Orson Welles in 1942. Tarkington is also noted for several charming, idealized novels about childhood and adolescence, such as "Penrod" (1914) and "Seventeen" (1916), which occur squarely in the middle of the line of literary development that leads from Mark Twain's "Tom Sawyer" up to Ray Bradbury's "Dandelion Wine." They are classics of period Americana.
516 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1899
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283 people want to read
About the author
Booth Tarkington
505 books184 followersNewton Booth Tarkington was an American novelist and dramatist best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning novels The Magnificent Ambersons and Alice Adams. He is one of only four novelists to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction/Novel more than once, along with William Faulkner, John Updike and Colson Whitehead. Although he is little read now, in the 1910s and 1920s he was considered America's greatest living author.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
June 27, 2017
I'd had high hopes for this story -- a young guy buys a newspaper out in the middle of nowhere in Indiana, brings the paper back to life and fights local political corruption.
But alas, this one is just not meant to be for me right now....
I thought I was having a hard time getting into this when I first picked it up because I was at a nail salon and there was '90s pop music pulsating through the speakers right above my head. That's why I can't get into the language, I thought -- I always have a hard time reading when there's music or television on in the room. But it's been two days now. I've tried reading this before bed; I tried reading this at lunch and I'm just not in the mood for it. I can't take my fellow Hoosier's backed-in sentences and Victorian-era meandering tone. He doesn't tell you about things -- Tarkington just mentions them, and it's hard to pick up what's going on. I may come back to this another time, but it's not jiving with me this summer. Still plan to read "The Magnificent Ambersons," one of his Pulitzer winners.
But alas, this one is just not meant to be for me right now....
I thought I was having a hard time getting into this when I first picked it up because I was at a nail salon and there was '90s pop music pulsating through the speakers right above my head. That's why I can't get into the language, I thought -- I always have a hard time reading when there's music or television on in the room. But it's been two days now. I've tried reading this before bed; I tried reading this at lunch and I'm just not in the mood for it. I can't take my fellow Hoosier's backed-in sentences and Victorian-era meandering tone. He doesn't tell you about things -- Tarkington just mentions them, and it's hard to pick up what's going on. I may come back to this another time, but it's not jiving with me this summer. Still plan to read "The Magnificent Ambersons," one of his Pulitzer winners.
October 2, 2016
Readers may not know that the subject matter of Tarkington's first novel is "Whitecapping". This form of vigilante violence began in Indiana in the years before this novel. Whitecapping was a kind of late-century version of the KKK, although it involved as much economic as racial or ethnic causes. Night raids in disguise, violence against "outsiders" (blacks, Jews, the moneyed class, etc.) and against those forces which were producing a late century depression which bankrupted many farmers became the methods of Whitecappers. Think of it as the dark side of the rural/farmer/Progressive movement. Since the Klan had been outlawed in the Enforcement Acts of 1871-72, night riders had to call themselves something else. In Tarkington's version, they are the poor whites who take up cause against the "nice" middle-class people in the neighboring town. Tarkington's sympathies are clearly with the latter-- he even portrays a little girl as one of the "poor white trash" devils. I find the sharply critical reviews here self-serving, in that they fail to acknowledge the flaws we might expect in any author's first novel. I hope that knowing this important social history background might make the novel more meaningful. Tarkington was taking up a social cause-- opposing lynching and vigilante violence-- though he seemed to have little understanding about the sorry plight of economically devastated farmers and what it meant to be dead dirt poor.
January 5, 2009
Booth Tarkington (July 29, 1869 - May 19, 1946) was born in Indianapolis and he went back to the Hoosier state repeatedly as a setting for his novels. His first novel was “The Gentleman from Indiana”, which was originally published in 1899. Tarkington also went to Princeton to study, so it isn’t surprising that this novel is about a gentleman (John Harkness) from Indiana who then went to the East Coast and studied at Princeton who then returns to Indiana. He returns to Indiana to take over the local newspaper in the town of Platville. The newspaper is in much worse shape than he was led to believe. He rejuvenates the dying paper and takes on political corruption as well as the White Caps from the neighboring community.
The first chapter is about John Harkness entering town and his initial dismay at the state of the paper which he bought, sight unseen. It also details how he turned it around quickly and turned it into a source of pride for Platville. The second chapter jumps the story ahead to a point past which John Harkness has earned the enmity of the White Caps by sending many of them to jail. Unbeknownst to Harkness, Platville has rallied behind him to keep him protected. In fact, that seems to be one of the main character traits of Harkness, who thinks he has not lived up to people’s expectations and is incredibly unobservant of the effect which he has had on those around him. One would think a good newspaperman, which is what Harkness is supposed to be, would be more observant.
John Harkness’ romantic interest comes in the form of Helen Sherwood, a cultured lady from the east who captures his interest with her voice. They have also met in the past, but Harkness struggles to remember where that was. It was to become a common theme in Tarkington’s works to have a woman, usually one who comes from elsewhere, who attracts at least the hero of the story, if not several others as well. Harkness continues to take on corruption, exposing a couple of con artists, and he does occasionally come under attack by the White Caps, though he remains unaware of just how much danger he is in. That danger is suddenly realized on a stormy night when Harkness’ protectors lose track of him and he ends up alone and disappears. The community is up in arms, first angry at the White Caps, then at the con artists and then back and forth again as more facts come to light.
Eventually they learn the truth, and it is none too good. John Harkness lies in the hospital struggling to stay alive, while the White Caps are mostly in jail, though happier there then coming under attack by the people of Platville. Once again, the people of the town rally behind Mr. Harkness, as James Fisbee, Ross Schofield, and Caleb Parker take on the responsibility of putting out the paper, but they know they are doing a bad job, but Fisbee’s note to Helen Sherwood (his daughter who is being raised by his departed wife’s sister) brings her back to take charge of the paper, under the condition that Mr. Harkness is not told. She works hard to fill the paper with useful information again, building on what Mr. Harkness had done and taking it even further. She does this all under the name of H. Fisbee, for Harkness does not know that her real father is James Fisbee.
Helen and the others conspire to elect Harkness to congress without his being aware. Harkness becomes concerned that the former corrupt congressman McCune is going to retake his seat, and is frustrated by H. Fisbee not running the story which exposes the crimes from McCune’s past. This is all part of Helen’s plan though, and she and other friends of Harkness manage to keep him in the dark regarding their plans.
This is a decent first novel, but it does seem to lose focus at times. The events which make Harkness a man to be admired by all is skipped over and only referenced by side-characters at a few points in the story, while for much of the actual book he is either missing or in recovery. Sometimes he is sulking about wasting his life, sometimes sulking because he can’t work at the paper. Overall the plot is rather simple, and the reader would be better served to read more about Harkness earning the town and county’s respect than to have so much of it mentioned in passing.
It is also important to discuss race with regards to this book. Tarkington hints at the subject of race through the use of the White Caps who are clearly meant to be the KKK, and also in the appearance of the song “John Brown’s Body” which the good people of Platville use when taking on the denizens of the Crossroads. However, for the most part race is not an issue in this book. Tarkington does not take on racism at all, and the few black characters are more likely to offend people today than anything else, though they wouldn’t have offended most people when this book was written. Some of the terms he uses are definitely not politically correct, and can be very insulting. It is important to remember that at the time these would have gone by unnoticed and the author is not deliberately trying to be insulting.
Booth Tarkington would be better known for his two Pulitzer Prize winning novels, “The Magnificent Ambersons” (1919 Pulitzer Prize) and Alice Adams (1922 Pulitzer Prize), especially the former which was put on film by Orson Wells in 1941. However, one would do well to read this work which introduces some of the themes and settings which would appear in his later works. This book introduces the fictional “Carlow County” where “The Two Van Revels” would take place. One also gets a feel for his writing style and signs of what would become a great American writer, though he is often forgotten today when great writers are discussed.
The first chapter is about John Harkness entering town and his initial dismay at the state of the paper which he bought, sight unseen. It also details how he turned it around quickly and turned it into a source of pride for Platville. The second chapter jumps the story ahead to a point past which John Harkness has earned the enmity of the White Caps by sending many of them to jail. Unbeknownst to Harkness, Platville has rallied behind him to keep him protected. In fact, that seems to be one of the main character traits of Harkness, who thinks he has not lived up to people’s expectations and is incredibly unobservant of the effect which he has had on those around him. One would think a good newspaperman, which is what Harkness is supposed to be, would be more observant.
John Harkness’ romantic interest comes in the form of Helen Sherwood, a cultured lady from the east who captures his interest with her voice. They have also met in the past, but Harkness struggles to remember where that was. It was to become a common theme in Tarkington’s works to have a woman, usually one who comes from elsewhere, who attracts at least the hero of the story, if not several others as well. Harkness continues to take on corruption, exposing a couple of con artists, and he does occasionally come under attack by the White Caps, though he remains unaware of just how much danger he is in. That danger is suddenly realized on a stormy night when Harkness’ protectors lose track of him and he ends up alone and disappears. The community is up in arms, first angry at the White Caps, then at the con artists and then back and forth again as more facts come to light.
Eventually they learn the truth, and it is none too good. John Harkness lies in the hospital struggling to stay alive, while the White Caps are mostly in jail, though happier there then coming under attack by the people of Platville. Once again, the people of the town rally behind Mr. Harkness, as James Fisbee, Ross Schofield, and Caleb Parker take on the responsibility of putting out the paper, but they know they are doing a bad job, but Fisbee’s note to Helen Sherwood (his daughter who is being raised by his departed wife’s sister) brings her back to take charge of the paper, under the condition that Mr. Harkness is not told. She works hard to fill the paper with useful information again, building on what Mr. Harkness had done and taking it even further. She does this all under the name of H. Fisbee, for Harkness does not know that her real father is James Fisbee.
Helen and the others conspire to elect Harkness to congress without his being aware. Harkness becomes concerned that the former corrupt congressman McCune is going to retake his seat, and is frustrated by H. Fisbee not running the story which exposes the crimes from McCune’s past. This is all part of Helen’s plan though, and she and other friends of Harkness manage to keep him in the dark regarding their plans.
This is a decent first novel, but it does seem to lose focus at times. The events which make Harkness a man to be admired by all is skipped over and only referenced by side-characters at a few points in the story, while for much of the actual book he is either missing or in recovery. Sometimes he is sulking about wasting his life, sometimes sulking because he can’t work at the paper. Overall the plot is rather simple, and the reader would be better served to read more about Harkness earning the town and county’s respect than to have so much of it mentioned in passing.
It is also important to discuss race with regards to this book. Tarkington hints at the subject of race through the use of the White Caps who are clearly meant to be the KKK, and also in the appearance of the song “John Brown’s Body” which the good people of Platville use when taking on the denizens of the Crossroads. However, for the most part race is not an issue in this book. Tarkington does not take on racism at all, and the few black characters are more likely to offend people today than anything else, though they wouldn’t have offended most people when this book was written. Some of the terms he uses are definitely not politically correct, and can be very insulting. It is important to remember that at the time these would have gone by unnoticed and the author is not deliberately trying to be insulting.
Booth Tarkington would be better known for his two Pulitzer Prize winning novels, “The Magnificent Ambersons” (1919 Pulitzer Prize) and Alice Adams (1922 Pulitzer Prize), especially the former which was put on film by Orson Wells in 1941. However, one would do well to read this work which introduces some of the themes and settings which would appear in his later works. This book introduces the fictional “Carlow County” where “The Two Van Revels” would take place. One also gets a feel for his writing style and signs of what would become a great American writer, though he is often forgotten today when great writers are discussed.
August 30, 2019
Many may consider The Gentleman from Indiana, Booth Tarkington's debut novel published in 1899, to be sentimental drivel, but I believe that we forget the time and place from which Mr. Tarkington was writing. As we continue to seek for more excitement and thrills from our writers, and we want our information to be clamored immediately before our face as if it were the most brazen Facebook page, we lack the patience or the perceived time to read the extensive narration from such an author.
Tarkington came from a much simpler time, a more peaceful time prior to two great wars, possibly a more honorable time. It was a time, as he describes, when 90 percent of the population were the Good Samaritans, who weren't so involved in their cell phones that they would notice a needy stranger, or a wayward child. His descriptions are much more pastoral, and the reader feels as if every valley is verdant, and ever hill is a grove of trees. He tells a tale of people who are excited about community growth, when local governments tried to have some integrity, but, of course, not always succeeding. How different than today, where major real estate developments surround us and create an aversion for our fellowman, and municipal graft is simply a way of life.
In any case, reading The Gentleman from Indiana was similar to watching an old Frank Capra movie where the good guy wins, but with some struggles along the rocky trail. In fact, I could picture James Stewart playing the protagonist of John Harkless, and Thomas Mitchell (i.e. Doc Boone, Uncle Billy, etc) playing James Fisbee. Consequently, if the reader doesn't like movies such as Mr. Smith goes to Washington, or It's a Wonderful Life; he/she will not like this novel. On the other hand, if you do value these great classic movies, you are in for a treat as you read this novel.
Tarkington came from a much simpler time, a more peaceful time prior to two great wars, possibly a more honorable time. It was a time, as he describes, when 90 percent of the population were the Good Samaritans, who weren't so involved in their cell phones that they would notice a needy stranger, or a wayward child. His descriptions are much more pastoral, and the reader feels as if every valley is verdant, and ever hill is a grove of trees. He tells a tale of people who are excited about community growth, when local governments tried to have some integrity, but, of course, not always succeeding. How different than today, where major real estate developments surround us and create an aversion for our fellowman, and municipal graft is simply a way of life.
In any case, reading The Gentleman from Indiana was similar to watching an old Frank Capra movie where the good guy wins, but with some struggles along the rocky trail. In fact, I could picture James Stewart playing the protagonist of John Harkless, and Thomas Mitchell (i.e. Doc Boone, Uncle Billy, etc) playing James Fisbee. Consequently, if the reader doesn't like movies such as Mr. Smith goes to Washington, or It's a Wonderful Life; he/she will not like this novel. On the other hand, if you do value these great classic movies, you are in for a treat as you read this novel.
November 30, 2020
Booth Tarkington's first published novel is kind of "all-over-the-place," and is far more melodramatic than the author's later works. I found it to be generally entertaining, sometimes enthrallingly so, though one fairly long stretch towards the end bordered on the routine. What I especially liked about this novel was that there were several passages that were a real "snapshot" of time and place, as if the author knew he was writing for the edification of future generations.
August 2, 2017
Gets better in the 2nd half. The language used in the book is too rich for me and I could not enjoy it until I got over the fact that I won't understand every word in it. The plot is quite predictable, but not banal. I like the ending too.
June 26, 2021
There's Joy in Plattville!
I liked this book, but I had hoped to like it more. It was my first Booth Tarkington novel and his too, so that leaves a lot of upside potential as I read more of his books and enjoy seeing him develop as an author.
I liked John Harkless, the crusading journalist hero, aided and abetted by his proto-Lois Lane, but that opened the floodgates to torrents of turgid romance. Ugh. I waded through lines of meaningful glances, averted gazes, and the many fond recollections of that moment at the tent pole. Like the women's page in the Plattville Herald, I could understand Tarkington trying to win the distaff demographic by making a major plotline a love story. It just got to be too much at times. I remember a slack-jawed Harkless sitting for minutes mesmerized by Helen's photograph. I just wanted to reach into the book and slap him!
The romance was fortunately balanced by sufficient action, such as the ever-increasing menace of the Six Cross Roads rogues gallery, and by the colorful characters of Plattville. Tarkington already proved himself the peer of George Ade and Sinclair Lewis in creating a small town and populating it with vivid characters. But Tarkington's strength is showing that not all small-town folk are folksy. The corrupt politician McCune and the feral fourteen-year-old girl spring to mind, as do the vicious "White Caps" (clearly the Ku Klux Klan but never identified as such).
Small-town life is certainly celebrated here. The novel's theme is that home is where live the people who love and care about you. I was moved to tears by Helen's speech on gratitude and uplifted by the events of the closing pages. This was the first but won't be my last Tarkington novel.
I liked this book, but I had hoped to like it more. It was my first Booth Tarkington novel and his too, so that leaves a lot of upside potential as I read more of his books and enjoy seeing him develop as an author.
I liked John Harkless, the crusading journalist hero, aided and abetted by his proto-Lois Lane, but that opened the floodgates to torrents of turgid romance. Ugh. I waded through lines of meaningful glances, averted gazes, and the many fond recollections of that moment at the tent pole. Like the women's page in the Plattville Herald, I could understand Tarkington trying to win the distaff demographic by making a major plotline a love story. It just got to be too much at times. I remember a slack-jawed Harkless sitting for minutes mesmerized by Helen's photograph. I just wanted to reach into the book and slap him!
The romance was fortunately balanced by sufficient action, such as the ever-increasing menace of the Six Cross Roads rogues gallery, and by the colorful characters of Plattville. Tarkington already proved himself the peer of George Ade and Sinclair Lewis in creating a small town and populating it with vivid characters. But Tarkington's strength is showing that not all small-town folk are folksy. The corrupt politician McCune and the feral fourteen-year-old girl spring to mind, as do the vicious "White Caps" (clearly the Ku Klux Klan but never identified as such).
Small-town life is certainly celebrated here. The novel's theme is that home is where live the people who love and care about you. I was moved to tears by Helen's speech on gratitude and uplifted by the events of the closing pages. This was the first but won't be my last Tarkington novel.
January 23, 2021
Considering this was written about a century ago, it's interesting how little attitudes have changed. We may have evolved industrially, technologically, even philosophically, but not according to attitude and how we relate one to another. As Tarkington notes "The present depends largely upon the past, while the future will be determined, for the most part, by the conditions of the present." John Harkless arrived in Platteville with the intent to improve a failing newspaper. He helped many people in the small town, but angered others as well. One group known as the White Caps (aka KKK) attacked Harkless for something he wrote in his paper. Not much has changed in 100 years. The plot is intricate but easy to follow and, yes, there is a happy ending. There's politics intertwined as the "gentleman from Indiana" winds up as their nominee for Congress. Tarkington's comment "Congress is our great virtue; the congressmen are our fault" is as pertinent today as it was back then as is "... the party which considers the public service before it considers itself will thrive best in the long run." I highly recommend this book.
August 8, 2018
Booth Tarkington's first novel. Written in 1899, it tells the story of an ambitious journalist who takes on the editorship of an small-town newspaper in Indiana. While he sees his life as a failure, the townspeople see him has someone who has provided jobs for people and saved them from the vigilantism of the infamous "White Caps", a group of masked thugs who terrorize the community. Remarkably progressive for its time, it also tells of a young woman who takes over the editorship of his paper while the hero of the story recuperates from a wound from gunshot. Reads a bit like an patriotic, inspirational B movie from the 1930s or 1940s. A little too idealistic for our cynical age. Tarkington's writing improved greatly by the time he wrote "The Magnificent Ambersons" and "Alice Adams" about twenty years later. Still, it's a good read for those who like to observe how an author's writing progresses over time.
February 9, 2023
I love Booth Tarkington's "Penrod"....I have read some of his other books and enjoyed, but not loved, them. I think that the humor of Penrod is what "kicks it up a notch". Despite the fact that it is dated (and "politically incorrect") it is still so very fun. I can't say the same for "The Gentleman..." . In the beginning I was really drawn to it, as time went by, however, the story seemed to drag and it's old fashioned style took a toll on my attention. Still, all and all I do not regret buying the book at an antique store.
January 18, 2020
Disjointed at times ... but the words are amazing! Oh what a picture of Indiana the last chapter paints.
December 13, 2020
Excellent story an very well written!
January 3, 2024
Tarkington became the first geezer to win the Pulitzer twice and this is one of his early books, if not his first, anyway it was pretty dated but it was OK.
Want to read
February 27, 20241902 hardback. Binding not strong.
June 21, 2008
I picked up a Tarkington novel because of my sojourn here in Indiana. I began with his first publication - from 1899. I can only assume he got better before his Pulitzers. This book is cheesy, with little depth of character, overly-florid pastoral descriptions (of Indiana, no less!!), and an insipid resolution in which the good peasantry adore their gentlemanly protector. This is Progressivism at its worst: elitist, idealistic, and looking to the völkische Hinterland for political and moral regeneration.
October 3, 2020
Tarkington's first novel has its flaws of excessive sentiment, but the plot has elements of interest, particularly in its depiction of life in a town on the verge of becoming a city at a moment of historical transition: trains and telegraphs a part of everyday life but not paved streets, telephones creeping in but still no cars. Several of Tarkington's career-long themes are already present, most notably a teasing affection for country life of the Midwest.
January 9, 2013
Grossly overwritten. The plot is flimsy, even by nineteenth century standards. The characters seem uniformly maudlin, the sociology interesting but not too convincing. A disappointment relative to his later novels.
September 16, 2013
this one took me awhile to really get into, but it picked up about 1/3 of the way in. surprised by the happy ending, as Tarkington's work is often bitter sweet.
Want to read
September 27, 2011Chronicles Summer School of the Midwest.
December 2, 2013
Great small town/political novel
I'll admit, it was a little slow until the love story picked up, but turned into a great story worth reading.
I'll admit, it was a little slow until the love story picked up, but turned into a great story worth reading.
December 17, 2015
quite the period piece. Hadn't read Tarkington before.
April 11, 2016
Reminded me of a Thomas Hardy novel. Hardy must have had an influence on this work.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews