Product Description

6 of the Roaring Twenties chronicler’s most scintillating short stories, chosen from Flappers and Philosophers (1920) and Tales of the Jazz Age (1922). This inexpensive volume comprises "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz," "The Ice Palace," "Bernice Bobs Her Hair," "May Day," "The Jelly-Bean," and "The Offshore Pirate."

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #35456 in Books
• Published on: 2007-09-27
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Review
These short stories show a highly gifted wit and imagination given room to range wide. Away from the more rigid confines of the grand and tragic themes of his novels Fitzgerald created some of his most wicked satire on the failings of the jazz generation. The curious title story drips with sardonic criticism of the money obsessed age he was living in. A modern Grimm's tale, the young hero is taken to a diamond mountain guarded with the utmost ruthlessness by an East Coast stockbroker type. It is a hilarious parable, aimed at the currupting nature of absolute wealth. Social status, rather than mere money, on the debutante ballroom scene is the subject of 'Bernice Bobs Her Hair'. Popularity is the prize of the Ball and looking at today's US high school tales not much has changed in the last 80 years. Bernice is not popular and hopeless at decoding the politics of the dancefloor until her elegant cousin guides her towards success before executing her downfall. In teh 1920s, bobbing your hair was the equivalent of genital piercing and the social cruelty described is as painful as the latter. Other stories dwell on his cold, austere mid-west roots, the circus of college football and the various classes at play on May Day. In many ways these are blunter weapons than his novels but they are unmistakably Fitzgerald. Sharp and, insightful they entertain and resonate with an easy grace; they are clearly the product of one of America's greatest talents. (Kirkus UK)

About the Author
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. Among his publications were five novels, This Side of Paradise, The Great Gatsby, The Beautiful and the 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.

Customer Reviews

As Big As The Ritz, But Was It As Good?
For some reason, The Diamond as Big as the Ritz, the story which (justifiably) leads this collection, seemed to have been hyped up in my mind, so I was expecting big things from it. It turned out to be a fun story to read and certainly showed the underlying problems of wealth, but it perhaps wasn't quite as good as I had expected. The other stories in the collection also illustrated their point well, even if some of them could have been cut down a bit without losing any of their impact.

At least one of the stories has a startling end and the characters in each are very well drawn. These pieces are definitely a commentary on the times in which they were written, but I think they still have a lot to say to us today.

Bite-size Fitzgerald for devotees or first timers
The collection of short stories headed by "Diamond" return the classic themes of Fitzgerald - the obsessions and pitfalls of American society - money, youth, superficial appearance and class. Although the supporting stories are at times funny and well written, it is easy to see why "Diamond" leads. Bearing the classic hallmarks of Fitzgerald writing - strong empathetic description of the characters, grand scene setting and a clear moral message this leaves a strong impression on the reader.This was for me one of the most impactful short stories I have read. If you fancy a go at Fitzgerald before trying his novels or like what you have read so far - try this.