First things first....IF YOU HAVE NEVER READ THIS BOOK--DO NOT READ THE PREFACE!!!!!! IT GIVES AWAY THE FINAL LINE OF THE ENDING !!!
I am a Fitzgerald addict. I remember being forced to read 'Gatsby' at some point in school and grabbing the cliff notes and throwing a worthy paper together somehow (still getting an excellent grade because at that time before college-before I realized the value in education- I had a superb knack for maneuvering words around to make my papers look authentic) . Years later I decided to pick it up again, tired of reading all the bubble gum crap written by my contemporaries I decided to revisit the classics. I have always loved to read but thought I mainly preferred 'light reading' . But I was at the end of my rope with predictable crap that lacked any sort of substance. I actually stopped reading altogether for a long time because I thought I was just simply bored with it. After being out of college for a few years, and living a life with virtually no mental stimulation, I felt a desperate need to feed my starving mind. I looked up lists of the classics and ordered several and dug in. I began by reading Catcher in the Rye, which I actually did love as a child; and loved and appreciated it even more this second time around. I think 'Catcher' is such a special an unique gem because it is such a 'light' and 'easy' read and at the same time still profoundly brilliant. I then picked up 'Gatsby', and again I stumbled on the first few pages, not that they were challenging, but I didn't feel "hooked". I felt bored with the detailed descriptions of East Egg and West Egg, but I pushed onward. And then around the beginning of the 2nd chapter it happened...I was hooked. The words seemed to jump up off the pages and suck me in, the images were crystal clear. I felt chills of enchantment the first time Jay Gatsby made his appearance, I felt Nick Carraway's excitement and awe in that magical summer. I could feel the tension and loving adoration between Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan, and watched his character visibly weaken in her presence...'The Great Gatsby' is the masterpiece of all masterpieces'..it's perfect.
But 'This Side of Paradise' IS F. Scott Fitzgerald. There is something so special about this book, Amory Blaine is as tragically flawed as any character could possibly be, but I instantly adored him from the very first page. Literally watching Amory grow from boyhood to a manhood, I felt I was reliving my own life. And mine was nothing at all like his, but Fitzgerald perfectly and poetically captures the pains of growth and experience that shape us all; and the existential crisis that many of us face in our lives as we search for meaning and purpose. I have more underlining in this book then anything I have ever read on paper. Every word, every sentiment evoked some primal emotion inside me. I think the reason that F.Scott Fitzgerald's books are so magical, is that he is an artist in the truest sense, he gives parts of himself away to his work. You can really feel him, especially in 'This Side'..Amory is largely in part made up of Fitzgerald. They always say an author's first novel is autobiographical, but it seems like 'This Side' almost IS autobiographical. Of course I must admit that knowing the story behind the writing of the novel, how desperately Fitzgerald was trying to finish it in order to become a success and win Zelda back,also played a part in the romance of "This Side of Paradise" for me.
I just can't rave enough about this book. I started on a journey to read the classics and nourish my post-collegiate mind. I read 'Catcher' , then 'Gatsby' , and then the 'Beautiful and Damned' , which is fantastic in it's own right, but for another review... 'This Side' was my 3rd Fitzgerald read, and next I will read 'Tender is the Night' . So my 'classic lit. journey' has turned into a 'Fitzgerald journey'. While the novels are still essentially 'light reads' [ex. I began an attempt to struggle through Dante's Inferno - now that is not easy reading ! ], I am captivated by the soul of FSF's stories, and any contemporary author (that I have read at least) has failed in giving their story any actual soul. I plan on reading his final novel 'The Love of the Last Tycoon ', published posthumously , after I finish reading 'Tender is the Night '. And if by then I have not grown tired of Mr. Fitzgerald { unimaginable! }, I plan to read his short stories. I know this review trailed way off the subject of 'This Side of Paradise', but I have never loved an author's ENTIRE body of work before, never had a "favorite author", nothing that I have ever read has come close to the brilliance of F. Scott Fitzgerald. . 'This Side' was written almost a century ago but the story and the journey is timeless.
*** As I mentioned in the first line, if you have not read this book, do NOT read the preface. I was SO disappointed and shocked that they would give away the ending before the story. I enjoy reading anything that has to do with F.Scott Fitzgerald's life and history of his stories and novels, so naturally I read the preface [ written by James L West III ], and in it he tells you the final line of the book! I was hoping that it wasn't the last line, because he discusses how there were several versions of the book throughout the publication of each edition, but it is and he GIVES AWAY THE FINAL LINE!! I was extremely irritated by this and it doesn't make sense because at the very back of the book- AFTER the ending and final line--there are Notes, further reading and a section about FSF's life and career so they could have also have put this SPOILER in the back of the book.
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Reviews with images
Incorrect title and typos
The title is THIS Side of Paradise, not THE Side of Paradise. Also the title on the binding is incorrect again and has a typo, spelling Tje Side of Paradise.I love this novel and needed a new copy since mine is worn. I didn’t even bother opening this one because if they can’t get the title correct and print it without errors, I can only imagine what the text inside is like.This is book, just not this copy.
