Collections of early writings of famous writers can often be dreary affairs, but F. Scott Fitzgerald's early work abounds with life. Because he served such an unusually short apprenticeship he wrote his first, highly successful book, This Side of Paradise, soon after graduating Princeton...his undergraduate work is of special interest. In fact, his college and professional writing careers overlapped. Both This Side of Paradise and Flappers and Philosophers incorporated (with some reworking) some of the early Princeton stories gathered in this volume. In this first complete and chronologically sequenced collection of Fitzgerald's writings for two Princeton publications, The Tiger and Nassau Lit, we can witness Fitzgerald's dramatic growth. We can almost hear him find his voice as a writer. Opportunities to trace the development of style of so significant a writer are rare. These early works of his provide a mirror to his times. His words and the often whimsical sampling!
Fitzgerald stands at center stage throughout this book, but some of the "supporting characters" are notable figures in their own rights. Two of Fitzgerald's closes Princeton friends also opted for writing careers: author/poet John Peale Bishop and Edmund "Bunny" Wilson, who was Fitzgerald's editor at Princeton and became his lifelong "literary conscience" not to mention the most important literary critic in America. These two names will be seen on the masthead of the Nassau Lit along with Fitzgerald's. Scholars will also be fascinated to note that key themes found in Fitzgerald's mature fiction come into focus in his undergraduate work. Heroes and heroines recognizably Fitzgeraldian populate these pages. And the abundant original artwork culled from back issues of The Tiger and Nassau Lit gives the book a delightful visual appeal found in no other Fitzgerald book.
Fitzgerald has had a fabulous year. With 1996 marking what would have been his 100th birthday, the literary world remembered him well with numerous new titles about him and numerous reprints. This volume makes a perfect capper to the year-long festivities. The collection includes more than 70 pieces in chronological order written by Fitzgerald for two Princeton publications, The Tiger and The Nassau, as an undergrad (before he got expelled!). The pieces, which include short stories, one-act plays, a few poems, and assorted prose, are understandably amateurish, there's a lot of "rah-rah Princeton" clamorings?but some touch on Fitzgerald's pet subjects, e.g., the wealthy, debutantes, weak fathers, to foreshadow the serious work that was to come. Many of the stories are quite funny and show a nice spark. The volume additionally contains numerous illustrations and a lengthy introduction by editor Deffaa. Though some of this material has appeared before, it's wonderful to have it all in one tidy package. A fine addition to Fitzgerald studies for, scholarly American literature collections; recommended.?Michael Rogers, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
