Pulitzer Prize Fiction Winner

Alice Adams

by Booth Tarkington

Summary

A young woman from a lower-middle-class family struggles to maintain a facade of social status to attract a wealthy suitor. The book explores themes of social mobility and the harsh realities of the American Dream.

Historical Context & Significance

Tarkington's second win. He was the most successful "mainstream" novelist of his day, perfectly capturing the Midwestern middle-class anxieties of the era.