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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
One of the best short story collections I've ever read! Many of the stories felt like 5-starred reads, but some were just s0-so (hence the 4 stars).
A must read for any one who enjoys excellent writing and touching stories. Somehow these stories felt more powerful than some of his novels. I was reminded what a brilliant writer Fitzgerald was.
A must read for any one who enjoys excellent writing and touching stories. Somehow these stories felt more powerful than some of his novels. I was reminded what a brilliant writer Fitzgerald was.
Having read The Great Gatsby back in my school days and now this collection of short stories, I think I'm going to humbly accept that F. Scott Fitzgerald just isn't really for me. I can see the literary merit in some respects, but his style just does nothing for me, unfortunately. In terms of positives, the real standout was definitely The Cut-Glass Bowl, a subtly sinister story about a woman's life haunted by the 'cursed' gift of a man she rejected in her youth. If I'd read it as a stand-alone, I'd have been much more impressed.
Almost all the other stories in here suffer from the problem of sounding considerably more interesting in concept than they are to actually read, however. A man ageing in reverse; a man's life defined by the times he was punched in the face; a man who sacrifices his academic career for the woman he loves, before resenting the fact she becomes the successful one: they sound great, I just find Fitzgerald's style too dry to ever actually feel gripped or fully engaged.
There's also racism in pretty much every story. Yes, to an extent we have to make allowances for things being 'of their time', but that doesn't stop me feeling angry and uncomfortable to read about Benjamin's father casually wishing his son was black so he could sell him as a slave and solve all his problems... The racist comments aren't made in ways to highlight racism; they're made because of the author's own clearly prejudiced thoughts, as though the reader should sympathise and agree. This was also a factor in me never being able to properly relate to or engage with the characters.
Anyway, I'm glad to have tried more of his work outwith an academic environment. At least now I can say definitively that I've given him a fair go and his style just isn't for me.
Almost all the other stories in here suffer from the problem of sounding considerably more interesting in concept than they are to actually read, however. A man ageing in reverse; a man's life defined by the times he was punched in the face; a man who sacrifices his academic career for the woman he loves, before resenting the fact she becomes the successful one: they sound great, I just find Fitzgerald's style too dry to ever actually feel gripped or fully engaged.
There's also racism in pretty much every story. Yes, to an extent we have to make allowances for things being 'of their time', but that doesn't stop me feeling angry and uncomfortable to read about Benjamin's father casually wishing his son was black so he could sell him as a slave and solve all his problems... The racist comments aren't made in ways to highlight racism; they're made because of the author's own clearly prejudiced thoughts, as though the reader should sympathise and agree. This was also a factor in me never being able to properly relate to or engage with the characters.
Anyway, I'm glad to have tried more of his work outwith an academic environment. At least now I can say definitively that I've given him a fair go and his style just isn't for me.
Enjoyable, but often quite odd, Tales of the Jazz Age is most notable for its insight into Fitzgerald's craft. The little annotations in the table of contents for each story are entertaining. My favorite section by far is the first, four stories categorized as "My Last Flappers." Shockingly, the fantasies were disappointing to me. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is one of the rare pieces of literature that is shown up by its movie version. "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz" is ridiculous and offensive in multiple ways, both through classism and racism. Overall, some stories are entertaining, but I don't see much need for most people to read the entire book.
I can conclude, having finished this collection of short stories, that with the exception of The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald is just not really for me. This collection was saved, in my opinion, by The Diamond as Big as the Ritz, Porcelain and Pink, and Jemina the Mountain Girl. Barring some moments of subtle but shocking endings, I found the rest of the stories dull, and the characters empty, and the prose ineffective.
This is the better of Fitzgerald's 2 early collections. It has a couple of stinkers at the end, but most of the stories feel surprisingly fresh and lovely even today.
So many gems (figuratively and literally) of stories in there.
I enjoyed The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button and Babylon Revisited but the others were a bit boring.
Some of these short stories were ordinary, one I detested and others were downright strange. No more F. Scott Fitzgerald for me!
Fitzgerald wrote Gatsby, let's remember that - but I have to admit that whatever genius there was hidden within these particular pages, it went completely over my head. I couldn't understand most of the contextual irony or humour, or sometimes even figure out the message of the stories. My least favourite was 'Head and Shoulders' but the title story 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' was almost as equally disappointing. However, I am no expert on American literature.
As a fan, however, I will say this: throughout these short stories I continued to love the way Fitzgerald exposes the supposed flaws of women (indecisiveness, bossiness, etc.) in his female characters. Despite possessing these negative attributes, overall the women are still somehow portrayed as beautiful creatures to be envied and sought after. That's where his genius lies - and that's what I loved most about Daisy, for example, in Gatsby.
I hate third person, anyway.
As a fan, however, I will say this: throughout these short stories I continued to love the way Fitzgerald exposes the supposed flaws of women (indecisiveness, bossiness, etc.) in his female characters. Despite possessing these negative attributes, overall the women are still somehow portrayed as beautiful creatures to be envied and sought after. That's where his genius lies - and that's what I loved most about Daisy, for example, in Gatsby.
I hate third person, anyway.