The Haanta Series venerates F. Scott Fitzgerald

Today is what would have been F. Scott Fitzgerald's 116th birthday, had he been privy to a drink from the fountain of youth. He lived in the glorious Jazz Age, a time when the fast life of the Roaring Twenties was at its peak, and his work thus reflected the dreamer's life he lead. His first book, This Side of Paradise, brought him instant fame, but the remainder of his works were not popularized until the fifties. His most famous novel, The Great Gatsby, which since its publication has become a model for the tragic love story, was treated with little celebration when it was first released, leading him to believe that his bright star had already burned out. He turned to alcoholism, as many writers often do, and by the age of 44, the drink had overwhelmed him, leaving him in failing health until his death.

His work inspired many authors such as Ray Bradbury, who boasts of having copious copies of Tender is the Night and of having read them while walking through Paris, J.D. Salinger, T.S. Eliot, and even his wife Zelda, who became the subject of many of his works. A sad and solemn tale for some so gifted to have gone so early, but as Fitzgerald said himself, "show me a hero and I will write you a tragedy".

Comments

  1. Oh I remember reading his work for highschool and college. Can't say that he was a favorite, but I did appreciate the talent.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment