F. Scott Fitzgerald

[CircassianLeyla]

I have recently read 'The Great Gatsby' and 'Yhe curious tale of Benjamin Button and other tales of the Jazz Age' and haven't really enjoyed either. Am I missing sonething huge? I see the decadence etc that he illustrates but his stories just are not working for me.

I have only rely stuck with them for book club.

I love The Great Gatsby his descriptive writing is just beautiful and the tale of greed and avarice. It's dark showing decaying of moral and social values.

I think he's a fabulous writer. The G G is, for me, a pretty much perfect novel. BUT his characters are all fairly dislikable and that means his stories aren't easy to engage with, IMO.

I love the Great Gatsby, I also think it's a near perfect novel. Love the themes, the dissolute characters, everything about it. But I tried to read Tender is the Night and really disliked it. Struggled through to the end but found it bleak and disappointing. I haven't picked up another, but hoping to get around to reading some of his short stories.

I also struggled with tender is the night after loving the great gatsby.

Have you ever read the novella of breakfast at tiffanys? It's very very good, much better than the film in every respect (and the ending is different).

I might try Tiffany's, I think I actually have a copy somewhere. I really enjoyed In Cold Blood but I'm guessing Tiffany's is a slightly different read!

I loved Tender is The Night. Absolutely. Got lost in it and spent much time thinking about the characters.

If you like his descriptive writing try to find Th Ice Palace. Absolutely amazing writing.

I can also type and spell but have just noticed that both skills have proven elusive in my OP.

I am alone then. I just don't know why I can't engage. I quite liked the short story about a book shop owner. I can't even remember the title though. Diamond as bug as the Ritz was ok too.

Have you read Upton Sinclair , Theodore Dreiser or Sinclair Lewis? Both of the same age but better writers in ny opinion.

Have you read Brideshead Revisited? Set later and in England obviously but they've always been my two giants of 20th century.

Tender is the Night is a beautiful read.

I read "Benjamin Button" when the movie came out, and I found it surprisingly flat.

Try "The Beautiful and Damned," which you may find more energetic and vivid.

The film and the story are almost completely different I found other than the name and ageing process.

You're not alone. I don't particularly like GG either. Far preferred The beautiful and the damned.