Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-10-19
THE INDIVIDUAL
Is NOTHING
Booth Harrington Urites Of
the Nerciless Growth Of
american Cities

Booth Tarkington's latest novel "rhe
Magnificent Ambersons.' Is social
study OF life In the Middle West Of con-
siderable historical value. II deals with
the expansion Of an overgrown village
into n large manufacturing city ana
with the submergence IN the flood OF
the families which were the dominant
agures In the community In its early
days
Major Anderson. the head OF the
magnificent" family, was Ciril War
veteran, who made a fortune ~ 1919
when other people were losing their
money lie founded family, three
generations Of which move through the
pages of the book. The hero is his
grandson. IL spoiled child, who grows up
into a sup-rcilious. conceited youth and
denounccs every one as 'rifran VINO
has not inherited wealth. lie calls HIM
self gentleman and despises trade ana
the professions. "No gentleman works,
Is his creed, But fate plays tricks with
him and he finds himself at the death
Of his grandfather penniless and with
no ability TO earn a living lie lives
in a three-room apartment with maid
Ell aunt, and one day he sees on the
receptiUn-roum table Of the apartment
house history of the men who have
for any reference to his grandfather
and then it dawns upon him that lie
and his family were OF less consequence
than he had supposed. This Is the
beginning Of his transformation into a
normal American. This 81 auge is COM
pleted when he is run down in the street
by a Ford car and seriously injured.
lie takes account OF himself and con-
/ cludes that he had caused his dead
mother great suffering ana had been un-
| just to her best friend. the man with
/ whom she was in love before she mar
! ried his father in a H. OF pique, and
/ the father of the girl whom he loves.
| The character of this youth is de-
veloped with the skill for which Mr.
Harrington has become famous. lie un-
derstands the nature OF n growing boy
! He has included some letters written
by the hero while he was in college
which are so true TO type that theS
might have been copied from actua
documents He makes the young cut
talk so naturally that the reader recogn-
i2eS the language and the point of view
of the immature of his own acQuaint'
ance. And his study of Major Amber
son is delightful, starting with his con-
scious pride in his wealth and power
and ending with his realizing Of his
growing poverty and loss of influence
and on the death OF his daughter viii
his first consideration OF the possibility
OF entering n sphere where the Amber
son name Will not carry the weight
which attached to Il on earth. II Is
pathetic picture of the sad old age OF q
typical American. The story illustrates
the truth of the old saying that it /:
only three generations from shirt sleeve!
to shirt sleeves in this country.
While the novel is well written ant
entertaining, 1t would be unjust. as wei
as untrue, 10 call It great. Mr.. Tarlling
ton evidently aims TO satisfy the taste II
fiction of young people from sixteen q
twenty, and he undoubtedly succeed
In his efforts But great fiction aims a
a different mark
THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS. Il
. Booth Harrington. Garden CITY: Double
y day PaEe 4 co.