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F. Scott Fitzgerald was born in 1896 in St Paul, Minnesota, and went to Princeton University which he left in 1917 to join the army. Fitzgerald was said to have epitomised the Jazz Age, an age inhabited by a generation he defined as ‘grown up to find all Gods dead, all wars fought, all faiths in man shaken’.
In 1920 he married Zelda Sayre. Their destructive relationship and her subsequent mental breakdowns became a major influence on his writing. Among his publications were five novels, This Side of Paradise, The Great Gatsby, The Beautiful and Damned, Tender is the Night and The Love of the Last Tycoon (his last and unfinished work): six volumes of short stories and The Crack-Up, a selection of autobiographical pieces.
Fitzgerald died suddenly in 1940. After his death The New York Times said of him that ‘He was better than he knew, for in fact and in the literary sense he invented a “generation” … he might have interpreted them and even guided them, as in their middle years they saw a different and nobler freedom threatened with destruction.’
Published to coincide with the 124th anniversary of F. Scott Fitzgerald's birth Enigmatic, intriguing and fabulously wealthy, Jay Gatsby throws lavish parties at his West Egg mansion to impress Daisy Buchanan, the object of his obsession, now married to bullish Tom Buchanan. Over a Long Island summer, his neighbour Nick Carraway, a writer and a cousin to Daisy, looks on as Gatsby and Daisy’s affair deepens. Tragedy looms in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece, frequently named among the best novels of the twentieth century. This new edition includes a foreword by critically acclaimed novelist Michael Farris Smith, as well as an exclusive extract of his forthcoming novel, NICK, which imagines narrator Nick Carraway’s life before The Great Gatsby.
Regarded as Fitzgerald's masterpiece and one of the greatest novels of American literature, The Great Gatsby is a vivid chronicle of the excesses and decadence of the Jazz Age, as well as a timeless cautionary critique of the American dream.
The Last Tycoon is a sophisticated, gripping tale of love and intrigue in the Golden Age of Hollywood, containing what many critics have claimed are Fitzgerald's most modern and engaging characters. Baz Luhrmann's film adaptation of The Great Gatsby, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, opened the 66th Cannes Film Festival. A 'Piece of Passion' from Alessandro Gallenzi on the Alma Classics editions...'F. Scott Fitzgerald has been long a favourite of mine. Since I discovered The Great Gatsby at university, I have been avidly reading all of his work. I am particularly fond of some of his short stories, from ‘The Rich Boy’ (in All the Sad Young Men) to ‘The Diamond as Big as the Ritz’ and ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’ (in Tales of the Jazz Age). I have poured all my passion and love for Fitzgerald’s work into these stylish editions, with front-cover illustrations by Art-Deco genius Georges Barbier, flaps, pictures and a wealth of extra material. These books are a publisher’s and a fan’s tribute to one of the greatest masters of world literature.' A survey recently named The Great Gatsby as one of the greatest fictional playboys of all time … click to find out more
Jay Gatsby's parties are legendary. Night and day, the rich and beautiful descend upon his mansion to drink and to dance. For Nick Carraway, newly arrived on Long Island, the handsome, wealthy Gatsby seems to lead the perfect life. But beneath that shimmering facade Gatsby harbours an obsessive desire for the only thing he truly wants, but can never have.
A collection of early short stories which helped make F. Scott Fitzgerald's name. Baz Luhrmann's film adaptation of The Great Gatsby, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, opened the 66th Cannes Film Festival. A 'Piece of Passion' from Alessandro Gallenzi on the Alma Classics editions...'F. Scott Fitzgerald has been long a favourite of mine. Since I discovered The Great Gatsby at university, I have been avidly reading all of his work. I am particularly fond of some of his short stories, from ‘The Rich Boy’ (in All the Sad Young Men) to ‘The Diamond as Big as the Ritz’ and ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’ (in Tales of the Jazz Age). I have poured all my passion and love for Fitzgerald’s work into these stylish editions, with front-cover illustrations by Art-Deco genius Georges Barbier, flaps, pictures and a wealth of extra material. These books are a publisher’s and a fan’s tribute to one of the greatest masters of world literature.'
Published a year after The Great Gatsby, this short-story collection showcases many of the celebrated novel's themes, as well as its unique writing style. Baz Luhrmann's film adaptation of The Great Gatsby, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, opened the 66th Cannes Film Festival. A 'Piece of Passion' from Alessandro Gallenzi on the Alma Classics editions...'F. Scott Fitzgerald has been long a favourite of mine. Since I discovered The Great Gatsby at university, I have been avidly reading all of his work. I am particularly fond of some of his short stories, from ‘The Rich Boy’ (in All the Sad Young Men) to ‘The Diamond as Big as the Ritz’ and ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’ (in Tales of the Jazz Age). I have poured all my passion and love for Fitzgerald’s work into these stylish editions, with front-cover illustrations by Art-Deco genius Georges Barbier, flaps, pictures and a wealth of extra material. These books are a publisher’s and a fan’s tribute to one of the greatest masters of world literature.'
A critical account of its own era, introducing many themes which would be developed in later works, Fitzgerald's first novel was an instant critical and commercial success, propelling him into the limelight as a literary celebrity. Baz Luhrmann's film adaptation of The Great Gatsby, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, opened the 66th Cannes Film Festival. A 'Piece of Passion' from Alessandro Gallenzi on the Alma Classics editions...'F. Scott Fitzgerald has been long a favourite of mine. Since I discovered The Great Gatsby at university, I have been avidly reading all of his work. I am particularly fond of some of his short stories, from ‘The Rich Boy’ (in All the Sad Young Men) to ‘The Diamond as Big as the Ritz’ and ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’ (in Tales of the Jazz Age). I have poured all my passion and love for Fitzgerald’s work into these stylish editions, with front-cover illustrations by Art-Deco genius Georges Barbier, flaps, pictures and a wealth of extra material. These books are a publisher’s and a fan’s tribute to one of the greatest masters of world literature.'
Containing obvious parallels with F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald's own lives, The Beautiful and Damned is a tragic examination of the pitfalls of greed and materialism and the transience of youth and beauty. Baz Luhrmann's film adaptation of The Great Gatsby, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, opened the 66th Cannes Film Festival. A 'Piece of Passion' from Alessandro Gallenzi on the Alma Classics editions...'F. Scott Fitzgerald has been long a favourite of mine. Since I discovered The Great Gatsby at university, I have been avidly reading all of his work. I am particularly fond of some of his short stories, from ‘The Rich Boy’ (in All the Sad Young Men) to ‘The Diamond as Big as the Ritz’ and ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’ (in Tales of the Jazz Age). I have poured all my passion and love for Fitzgerald’s work into these stylish editions, with front-cover illustrations by Art-Deco genius Georges Barbier, flaps, pictures and a wealth of extra material. These books are a publisher’s and a fan’s tribute to one of the greatest masters of world literature.'
Peopled by an unforgettable cast of aristocrats and high-fliers, Tender is the Night is at once a scathing critique of the materialism and hypocrisy of the Roaring Twenties and a poignant and sensitive account of personal tragedy and disillusionment. Baz Luhrmann's film adaptation of The Great Gatsby, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, opened the 66th Cannes Film Festival. A 'Piece of Passion' from Alessandro Gallenzi on the Alma Classics editions...'F. Scott Fitzgerald has been long a favourite of mine. Since I discovered The Great Gatsby at university, I have been avidly reading all of his work. I am particularly fond of some of his short stories, from ‘The Rich Boy’ (in All the Sad Young Men) to ‘The Diamond as Big as the Ritz’ and ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’ (in Tales of the Jazz Age). I have poured all my passion and love for Fitzgerald’s work into these stylish editions, with front-cover illustrations by Art-Deco genius Georges Barbier, flaps, pictures and a wealth of extra material. These books are a publisher’s and a fan’s tribute to one of the greatest masters of world literature.'
January 2014 Guest Editor Jodi Picoult on The Great Gatsby by F. Scott. Fitzgerald, for its unreliable narrator. I love this book because it's the gold standard for unreliable narrators. Nick Carraway tells us the story of Jay Gatsby and Daisy; he tells us he isn't going to pass judgment on the characters, but he manages to overlook things, like Gatsby's bootlegging trade and Daisy's husband’s infidelity. The result is that the character of Gatsby remains a mystery long after you've finished the book. The Lovereading view... Regarded as Fitzgerald's masterpiece and one of the greatest novels of American literature, The Great Gatsby is a vivid chronicle of the excesses and decadence of the Jazz Age, as well as a timeless cautionary critique of the American dream. Baz Luhrmann's film adaptation of The Great Gatsby, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, opened the 66th Cannes Film Festival. A 'Piece of Passion' from Alessandro Gallenzi on the Alma Classics editions...'F. Scott Fitzgerald has been long a favourite of mine. Since I discovered The Great Gatsby at university, I have been avidly reading all of his work. I am particularly fond of some of his short stories, from ‘The Rich Boy’ (in All the Sad Young Men) to ‘The Diamond as Big as the Ritz’ and ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’ (in Tales of the Jazz Age). I have poured all my passion and love for Fitzgerald’s work into these stylish editions, with front-cover illustrations by Art-Deco genius Georges Barbier, flaps, pictures and a wealth of extra material. These books are a publisher’s and a fan’s tribute to one of the greatest masters of world literature.' A survey recently named The Great Gatsby as one of the greatest fictional playboys of all time … click to find out more
October 2011 Guest Editor Philippa Gregory on F. Scott Fitzgerald... I have just re-read this and constantly admired the economy of Fitzgerald. He can write poignant paragraphs that come out of almost nothing, as a reader you can hardly tell what he is doing, but you emerge from the novel feeling emotionally wrung. It’s the story of the most glamorous couple on the French Riviera, and slowly you understand that much of their beauty is a façade, and that even their passion is something that will pass. It is loosely based on Fitzgerald’s own marriage to Zelda who is an interesting character in her own right and too often “written off” by biographers as the unstable wife to a genius. As this novel hints, perhaps it was far more complicated and interesting than that.
August 2011 Guest Editor Deborah Lawrenson on F Scott Fitzgerald... F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is so full of exquisite prose it’s like being glutted on champagne and diamonds and fluttering silk. And it’s the contrast between the glittering words, and the lost illusions and tawdry underside of the American Dream in the 1920s that makes this such a poignant read. That and the best closing lines of any novel, ever. Visit our '50 Classics Everyone Should Read' collection to discover more classic titles. One of Giles Coren's favourite books. A classic that captures the mood of the 1920's, the time after the great War when life was for living. Gatsby in pursuing the 'American Dream' finds, with devastating consequences, that money may not be the route to happiness. November 2009 Guest Editor Katie Agnew on F. SCOTT FITZGERALD Whenever I'm asked what my favourite book of all time is I never hesitate - 'The Great Gatsby'. For me there's no contest. I first read this novel at school and I've re-read it every couple of years since. I'm obsessed with it - Fitzgerald's flawless writing style, his painfully flawed characters, the deliciously decadent Jazz Age setting and, ah, that tragic ending. The story breaks my heart every time but like a moth to the flame, I can't help myself. I love it! I want to be in it! In fact, whenever I need a pseudonym, I use the name Jordan Buchanan, a character from 'The Great Gatsby'. A survey recently named The Great Gatsby as one of the greatest fictional playboys of all time … click to find out more
*Deluxe Illustrated Edition* *Includes 19 full-color illustrations* Leaves the reader in a mood of chastened wonder . . . A revelation of life . . . A work of art. -Los Angeles Times Set during the Roaring Twenties, this masterful story by F. Scott Fitzgerald is told through the eyes of Nick Carraway, a young man who moves to Long Island and attempts to learn the bond business in New York City after the war. There, he co-mingles on Long Island with his affluent and wealthy socialite cousin Daisy Buchanan, her brute of a husband Tom, and friend Jordan Baker. Nick's new residence sits across the bay from Daisy and Tom's house, and right next to a mysterious mansion. He begins to hear rumors of an infamous man named Gatsby who resides there. Eventually, when Gatsby learns of Nick's ties to Daisy, he extends Nick an invitation to one of his lavish parties. Gatsby's plan to court Daisy, in an attempt to revive a previous love affair, eventually bubbles to the surface and tragedy ensues. Dubbed the Great American Novel more than any other piece of literature to date, The Great Gatsby is sure to captivate readers with it's exquisitely crafted prose and poignant message about trying to relive the past.
A one-of-a-kind, beautifully packaged and illustrated gift edition of the original 1925 printing of The Great Gatsby. Considered perhaps the greatest American novel of all time, and a true classic of twentieth-century literature, The Great Gatsby tells the story of the wealthy, quixotic Jay Gatsby and his obsessive love for debutante Daisy Buchanan. Originally published in 1925, this special gift edition includes 15 specially commissioned color plates and illustrations.
A sumptuously illustrated adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's beloved novel of the 1920s, in a vivid and accessible new format. F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 masterpiece roars into life in this sweeping, dreamy graphic novel - among the first adaptations of the book in this genre. Painted in lush watercolours, the inventive interpretation emphasizes both the extravagance and mystery of the characters, and excerpts from the original text weave themselves through the illustrations. Prepare to be carried off on a cloud of whimsical romance with Daisy and Gatsby, in a reading experience reminiscent of Hollywood classic movies. The graphic novel format makes it an ideal teaching tool to engage GCSE and higher level Literature students of Gatsby, and the art-deco gift design will prove irresistible to existing fans and collectors. With its timeless critique of class, power and obsession, The Great Gatsby Graphic Novel captures the energy of an era and the enduring resonance of one of the world's most beloved books.
Since its publication in 1925, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald's account of the American dream gone awry, has established itself as one of the most popular and widely read novels in the English language. Until now, however, no edition has printed the novel exactly as Fitzgerald himself wrote it. From its first edition onward, the text has been subject to rigorous house-styling that has distorted the characteristic rhythms and structure of his sentences. This critical edition draws on the manuscript and surviving proofs of the novel, together with Fitzgerald's subsequent revisions to key passages, to provide the first authoritative text of The Great Gatsby. This volume also includes a detailed account of the genesis, composition, and publication of the novel; a full textual apparatus; crucial early draft material; helpful glosses on the peculiar geography and chronology of the book; and explanatory notes on topical allusions and historical references that contemporary readers might otherwise miss. Fitzgerald's great masterpiece is thus brought closer to a cross-section of readers, more accessibly and more authentically than ever before.
An undisputed masterpiece of twentieth-century literature, this stunning, lavishly designed new edition of The Great Gatsby is perfect for Fitzgerald lovers and classics collectors alike. In his masterpiece, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald explores the paradisiacal illusions of the post-World War One generation, only to shatter them. At the heart of this piercing and defining novel of the Jazz Age is the eponymous romantic, holding tight to the past while pursuing the elusive future of his dreams. Living in a glittering mansion on Long Island, Jay Gatsby is famous for his hedonistic parties that draw strangers like moths to his starlight, even as sensational rumors surround him and his fortune. With the arrival of his new neighbor, Nick Carraway, a modest bond salesman from the Midwest, Gatsby finds a confidant for his burdensome secrets and an arbiter who can help him obtain what he most desires-the luminous socialite across the bay. She is Daisy, the lost and treasured love of his youth, a self-absorbed beauty unsettled in a marriage with the unfaithful Tom Buchanan. Winning her back is the finest and surest of Gatsby's illusions-a chance to rewrite the past and reclaim the great passion Gatsby is tragically doomed to pursue. One of the most renowned works of American literature, a tale of ambition, desolation, and blinded love, Fitzgerald's seminal classic will continue to resonate with generations of readers to come.
This Norton Critical Edition includes: The 1925 first American edition text of the novel. A full introduction, a note on the text and explanatory annotations by David J. Alworth. An unusually rich selection of contextual materials, including Fitzgerald's sources for his greatest novel, excerpts from his ledger and notebooks, three of his related short stories, twenty-two carefully chosen letters concerning The Great Gatsby and eight selections-four of them by Fitzgerald-on the Jazz Age and American Modernism. A wide range of critical assessments, covering initial reviews and reactions, Fitzgerald's revival, and reconsiderations and recent readings. A chronology and selected bibliography. About the Series Read by more than 12 million students over fifty-five years, Norton Critical Editions set the standard for apparatus that is right for undergraduate readers. The three-part format-annotated text, contexts and criticism-helps students to better understand, analyse and appreciate the literature, while opening a wide range of teaching possibilities for instructors. Whether in print or in digital format, Norton Critical Editions provide all the resources students need.
With a a stunning cover design inspired by the iconic fashion featured in the book, this beautiful hardback edition is a special Puffin Classic created in partnership with the world-famous V & A Museum. Featuring an exclusive foreword by Stephanie Wood, an Exhibition Project Curator in the Fashion, Textiles and Furniture Department at the V&A. Young, handsome and fabulously rich, Jay Gatsby is the bright star of the Jazz Age, but beneath the sparkling surface of his life, Gatsby is hiding a secret: a silent longing that can never be fulfilled F. Scott Fitzgerald brilliantly captures both the fashionable society of the Jazz age and the disillusionment of post-war America.
F. Scott Fitzgerald is considered one of the greatest novelists of the 20th century, celebrated for his penetrating and moving depiction of the American Jazz Age. This beautiful hardback collection brings together some of Fitzgerald's finest and most iconic novels, novellas and short stories, presented in a beautiful hardback treasury. Includes: * The Great Gatsby * This Side of Paradise * The Beautiful and Damned * Flappers and Philosophers * The Curious Case of Benjamin Button & Other Tales of the Jazz Age
The magnificent attitude of not giving a damn ... and to seek the moment's happiness as fervently and persistently as possible. It's New York during the Jazz Age. Anthony and Gloria Patch are a rich and beautiful couple who drink and dance away their days in glorious decadence as they wait for an inheritance to materialize. Gloria has always relied on her beauty to get her everything she wants (including a wealthy husband), while Anthony is Harvard-educated with a yen for the finer things of life. Blinded by the notion of future wealth, they push the boat out further and further until they find themselves far from shore and baling fast. This is a brilliant study of a marriage that begins to reel under the effects of too much booze as the doomed couple fall into indolence and out of love. First published in 1922, The Beautiful and Damned drew heavily on F. Scott Fitzgerald's own life and helped established his reputation as one of the great American novelists.
