Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Penguin Classics (2007), Paperback, 208 pages
Description
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Booth Tarkington, creator of the beloved novels The Magnificent Ambersons and Alice Adams, also created the lovable character of Penrod Schofield, who is at the center of several collections of tales, short stories, and humorous anecdotes. Penrod, the first title in the series, will appeal to fans of Tom Sawyer and other classic children's literature.
User reviews
LibraryThing member fetta
At first glance, I thought this might be a boring read, but in truth did not set it down until it was finished. I loved the challenging vocabulary and great imagery, which seemed to transport me back in time. A timeless read for any adolescent, which teaches how children how to deal with new
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emotions and navigating new and old friendships. Grateful I did not miss out on reading this classic! Show Less
LibraryThing member InfoQuest
Penrod is, for me, a very mixed bag. On the one hand, this collection of tales of a turn of the century boy's misdemeanors is nearly on the level of Tom Sawyer for sheer absurd (and memorable!) humor of circumstance. Some of the scenes, like the Great Tar Fight, the spending of the dollar, and the
On the other hand, the racism in this novel is more than casual. Although I read a fair amount of older and "classic" fiction and am usually pretty thick-skinned about the terms used for and the attitudes displayed toward members of any "race" other than Northern Europeans, this book pushes it a bit further than I can read comfortably. Literally every mention of phenotype was accompanied by an implied or blatant statement of mental and evolutionary inferiority, a random minor character is dismissed as an "octoroon girl," and the two more-or-less major black characters are ridiculous stereotypes. Certain chapters were worse than others in this regard, but far too many otherwise hysterically funny scenes were thrown off-kilter by entirely unnecessary racism.
So I'm torn on this one. Is this a classic of boyhood humor? Without a doubt. Would parts of it still appeal strongly to readers of all ages? I really do think so. Is it nonetheless hard and, at times, almost painful to read due to historically accurate attitudes? Unfortunately, yes.
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awful circus sideshow, will stick in my mind clearly for a long time. Tarkington also has that deft hand at understatement which makes wackiness all the more laughable, and there's a definite undertone of satire on the boys' behavior as a reflection of their parents' social norms in a funhouse mirror.On the other hand, the racism in this novel is more than casual. Although I read a fair amount of older and "classic" fiction and am usually pretty thick-skinned about the terms used for and the attitudes displayed toward members of any "race" other than Northern Europeans, this book pushes it a bit further than I can read comfortably. Literally every mention of phenotype was accompanied by an implied or blatant statement of mental and evolutionary inferiority, a random minor character is dismissed as an "octoroon girl," and the two more-or-less major black characters are ridiculous stereotypes. Certain chapters were worse than others in this regard, but far too many otherwise hysterically funny scenes were thrown off-kilter by entirely unnecessary racism.
So I'm torn on this one. Is this a classic of boyhood humor? Without a doubt. Would parts of it still appeal strongly to readers of all ages? I really do think so. Is it nonetheless hard and, at times, almost painful to read due to historically accurate attitudes? Unfortunately, yes.
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LibraryThing member jeffome
I just picked this randomly off the shelf having no idea it was more of a light, juvenile story. It was at times quite humorous to follow the travails of this energetic, creative 11 - 12-year-old boy. Tarkington captures the unique qualities of the single-mindedness of a boy of this
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age.....everything is an adventure to be acted upon immediately without any chance of considering the consequences until way too late. There are definitely some harsh racial attitudes that are rather odd to read today, but were certainly the norm back when this was written. It is a testament to how far we've come in that respect when even i felt a little uncomfortable reading some lines in the book. Not a bad thing for anyone to experience for the purposes of perspective. I have read nothing too awfully deep so far from Tarkington, but this was definitely the light easy read. One can only assume that the Pulitzer winner, 'The Magnificent Ambersons' will have more meat......i'll let you know! As to this one....i liked it, but did not love it. Show Less
LibraryThing member kconner
I loved the book 60 years ago and my father liked it before me. When I read it (as I have several times), I think of my Dad and the times he lived in. In many ways, better times and certainly more innocence then now.
LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
Booth Tarkington has long been an author that I felt I should sample, and so I decided to start with Penrod. Penrod is the main character and a young boy of 11 growing up in Indiana in the early 1900’s. Penrod was originally published in 1914 and although considered as a novel, really consists of
Although this book harkens back to a younger America and a simpler time, it is quite dated and there would be little in the book that would appeal to the younger reader of today. There are plenty of examples of the casual racism that was so prevalent in books published in the first half of the 20th century, but I suspect Tarkington himself would not consider himself a bigot. It is wise to keep in mind the time in which this book was written, although it is hard not to be distracted by these racial slurs.
My first exercise in reading Booth Tarkington brings me confidence that I could tackle something a little more ambitious and I think I will be looking at The Magnificent Ambersons at some point in the future. Penrod, although at one time a very popular book, has little that one can relate to today other than giving us a glimpse of mid-western life before World War I.
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a collection of loosely connected short stories. The tone and style of the book reminded me a great deal of Tom Sawyer. Penrod prides himself in being considered the “worst boy in town” and each chapter provides him a way of sustaining his reputation. Although this book harkens back to a younger America and a simpler time, it is quite dated and there would be little in the book that would appeal to the younger reader of today. There are plenty of examples of the casual racism that was so prevalent in books published in the first half of the 20th century, but I suspect Tarkington himself would not consider himself a bigot. It is wise to keep in mind the time in which this book was written, although it is hard not to be distracted by these racial slurs.
My first exercise in reading Booth Tarkington brings me confidence that I could tackle something a little more ambitious and I think I will be looking at The Magnificent Ambersons at some point in the future. Penrod, although at one time a very popular book, has little that one can relate to today other than giving us a glimpse of mid-western life before World War I.
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LibraryThing member creynolds
Very funny book about an 11-year-old boy, in the same vein as Tom Sawyer. Some jarring references to black characters that are no longer used today.
LibraryThing member leslie.98
A fun set of anecdotes about 11-year-old Penrod Schofield, growing up and getting into mischief in early 20th century Midwestern America. Reminded me a bit of Tom Sawyer but in a more suburban setting. I loved his birthday visit to Aunt Sarah:
"...Boys are just people, really. ... they haven't
"...Boys are just people, really. ... they haven't
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learned to cover themselves all over with little pretences. When Penrod grows up he'll be just the same as he is now, except that whenever he does what he wants to do he'll tell himself and other people a little story about it to make his reason for doing it seem nice and pretty and noble." Show Less
LibraryThing member michaelm42071
Eleven-year-old Penrod Schofield, his wistful dog Duke, his friend Sam Williams, and his black neighbors Herman and Verman are the young protagonists of this investigation into how much mischief a resourceful young boy can get up to in pre-World War I Midwestern America.
Penrod likes Marjorie
For a while, the bully Rupe Collins is Penrod’s hero, until Rupe picks on Verman, when Penrod’s attitude changes toward him—and Herman and Verman make short work of the bully, anyway. Penrod has a brief career in the show business, with his acts being several rats in a box, a stray dachshund, the tongue-tied Verman and the index-fingerless Herman, plus Roderick Magsworth Bitts, who is goaded into admitting that he is indeed related, as a nephew, to the Rena Magsworth who had just been convicted of multiple murders. Penrod’s adventures also include filling the hat of his sister’s admirer with tar, because that officious young cleric keeps calling him “young gentleman.” He also succeeds in coaxing the boy out of the nicest boy in town, and does it in the boy’s own yard with his mother watching from the window.
The unreconstructed, casual racism of the American Midwest in 1914 is evident in Penrod, and someone has published an expurgated edition in this decade, though it seems to me we ought to be able to see what people enjoyed with all its warts, or leave it on the shelf.
Penrod likes Marjorie
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Jones, but he explodes the pageant in which she is a willing and he an unwilling participant, he gives her four-year-old brother Mitchy-Mitch a two-cent piece that the boy promptly swallows, and he douses her and her brother with tar—though, admittedly, he was provoked by their both calling him “little gentleman.” Despite its frequent obstacles to love, the book ends with Marjorie giving Penrod a note that reads, “Your my bow.”For a while, the bully Rupe Collins is Penrod’s hero, until Rupe picks on Verman, when Penrod’s attitude changes toward him—and Herman and Verman make short work of the bully, anyway. Penrod has a brief career in the show business, with his acts being several rats in a box, a stray dachshund, the tongue-tied Verman and the index-fingerless Herman, plus Roderick Magsworth Bitts, who is goaded into admitting that he is indeed related, as a nephew, to the Rena Magsworth who had just been convicted of multiple murders. Penrod’s adventures also include filling the hat of his sister’s admirer with tar, because that officious young cleric keeps calling him “young gentleman.” He also succeeds in coaxing the boy out of the nicest boy in town, and does it in the boy’s own yard with his mother watching from the window.
The unreconstructed, casual racism of the American Midwest in 1914 is evident in Penrod, and someone has published an expurgated edition in this decade, though it seems to me we ought to be able to see what people enjoyed with all its warts, or leave it on the shelf.
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LibraryThing member lidaskoteina
enjoyable use of language and lively descriptions, but unfortunately, and, now, shockingly, of its era in terms of racism and other prejudices
Awards
Language
Original publication date
1914
Physical description
208 p.; 7.72 inches
ISBN
0143104853 / 9780143104858