Who is tarkington the author?

You're likely referring to Booth Tarkington (1869-1946). He was an American novelist and short story writer, known for his works set in the American Midwest, particularly Indiana.

Here are some of his most famous works:

* Penrod (1914): A novel about a mischievous and adventurous boy growing up in the early 1900s.

* Seventeen (1916): A humorous novel about a teenager's struggles with love, school, and social life.

* Alice Adams (1921): A novel about a young woman from a lower-middle-class family who longs for a different life.

* The Magnificent Ambersons (1918): A Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about a wealthy family's decline.

Tarkington was a popular and prolific writer, and his work often explored themes of social class, family dynamics, and the coming-of-age experience. He was also a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Literature.