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Product Description
Review
Though Fitzgerald can entrance with stories so joyfully youthful they appear to be safe when he cuts himself you will bleed --As Hortense Calisher observes in her Introduction
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
Book Description
A captivating and glamorous tale of squandered talent that defined 'The Lost Generation' of 1920s New York
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
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First Sentence
In 1913, when Anthony Patch was twenty-five, two years were already gone since irony, the Holy Ghost of this later day, had, theoretically at least, descended upon him. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
In 1913, when Anthony Patch was twenty-five, two years were already gone since irony, the Holy Ghost of this later day, had, theoretically at least, descended upon him. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
F.Scott Fitzgerald is a writer of remarkable talent. His prose sparkles with a beauty that juxtaposes with his often tragic subject matter. 'The Beautiful and Damned' explores some of the issues that would plague his own career as a writer who never really managed to top the acclaim bestowed upon 'The Great Gatsby', a devastatingly beautiful and seminal piece of 20th century literature. 'The Beautiful and Damned' boasts an array of would-be writers, actresses and dancers whom epitomise an era of of vanity, excess and alcohol. But underneath the shiny veneer lurks the inner turmoil of Anthony's talent that is never successfully fulfilled and capricious Gloria's despair that her good looks cannot be maintained. Anthony's descent into alcohol and depression is truely heartbreaking, especially as it ironically peaks as both the main protagonists' bad luck is about to change. This is perhaps telling of the era that Fitzgerald evoked in lucid vitality with the hustle and bustle of fashion, jazz, and alcoholic delights, but at the same time viewed with cynicism. As Gloria bemoans that she cannot afford a much in vogue grey squirrel fur coat, and her husband self medicates with copious amounts of alcohol, Fitzgerald's prose exposes the subtle horrors of innocence lost to an era of excess.
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This bittersweet novel chronicles the misadventures of Anthony Patch, a rich, Harvard-educated doyen of New York dance halls and fashionable bars during what was later called the Jazz age. Anthony is blessed with good looks, intelligence and wit and stands to inherit a fortune from his crotchety grandfather, a one-time reformer and monomaniac whom old age has not mellowed.
Anthony, to his grandfather's disgust, chooses the life of a dilettante, or maybe it chooses him. Unable and unwilling to hold down any kind of job, his life revolves around drinking, dining and visits to his stockbroker. One day he meets the glorious Gloria Gilbert, a renowned but vacuous beauty, a kindred spirit, who will eventually accompany him on the road to ruin through the years which witnessed World War One and prohibition.
F Scott Fitzgerald writes with great insight and perception on the foibles of the extremely rich in New York society in the early twentieth century, partly because it was the section of society to which he belonged. The dialogue is crisp and crackling, the detail accurate and absorbing and the tone one of detached amusement. He shows an understanding of the futility, and an awareness of the cruelty of everyday life. The characters he creates are neither likeable nor detestable. They are products of their time, their age and their place in society, and are unable to escape those constraints.
I found this book delicious in its wry humour, poignant in its exploration of human frailty and unstinting in its subtle attacks on the so-called great and good. It was thoroughly enjoyable but self-consciously sad.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"It is seven thirty on an August evening. The windows in the living room of the gray house are wide open patiently exchanging the tainted inner atmosphere of liquor and smoke for the fresh drowsiness of the late hot dusk. There are dying flower scents upon the air, so thin, so fragile, as to hint already of a summer laid away in time."
This is the story of a young couple Anthony and Gloria Patch living out their days to the hilt in New York City as they await the death of Anthony's grandfather, Adam Patch from whom they expect to inherit his massive fortune.
Gloria is a spoilt child from Kansas City turned into a sophisticated and most beautiful woman. Gloria does not intend to lift a finger to do any domestic work in the home, no matter how slight; while Anthony who considers himself an aesthete, finds it quite hard to get his act together and instead of buckling down to some work, prefers instead to hang with his wife and their friends on nightly binges. They drink and eat in the classiest restaurants and hotels, rent the most expensive apartments, travel out to the West in the spring time driving plush cars, wearing top-of-the-line clothing and just generally living it up high on the hog, as they wait.
Meet Maury Noble who is Anthony best friend who spends his time between New York and Philadelphia; Richard Caramel who has just completed writing a book and looking for new ideas for a second one. Joseph Bloeckman from Munich who started out small in America and is now a big shot in Show Biz. Also the quiet Jewess Rachael Barnes and Muriel Kane who is young, flirtatious and sometimes a bit too talkative and Tana the Japanese housekeeper of the Patches.
We are shown the Patches at their very best as the novel starts, with the world at their feet and loaded with cash with which they make very expensive choices. But, as we get further in, we see things begin to change gradually and we realize that those very choices will be their very downfall. It was quite a good read but it could be very heartbreaking at times as we put ourselves into the shoes of the main characters. All lovers of F. Scott Fitzgerald should read this book if you haven't done so already, and those of you who like reading about the ultra rich in the Roaring Twenties this one is for you. It is the kind of book that you feel you will want to read again. It is that good and I shall miss it.
Reviewed by Heather Marshall Negahdar (SUGAR-CANE 29/06/09)
This is the story of a young couple Anthony and Gloria Patch living out their days to the hilt in New York City as they await the death of Anthony's grandfather, Adam Patch from whom they expect to inherit his massive fortune.
Gloria is a spoilt child from Kansas City turned into a sophisticated and most beautiful woman. Gloria does not intend to lift a finger to do any domestic work in the home, no matter how slight; while Anthony who considers himself an aesthete, finds it quite hard to get his act together and instead of buckling down to some work, prefers instead to hang with his wife and their friends on nightly binges. They drink and eat in the classiest restaurants and hotels, rent the most expensive apartments, travel out to the West in the spring time driving plush cars, wearing top-of-the-line clothing and just generally living it up high on the hog, as they wait.
Meet Maury Noble who is Anthony best friend who spends his time between New York and Philadelphia; Richard Caramel who has just completed writing a book and looking for new ideas for a second one. Joseph Bloeckman from Munich who started out small in America and is now a big shot in Show Biz. Also the quiet Jewess Rachael Barnes and Muriel Kane who is young, flirtatious and sometimes a bit too talkative and Tana the Japanese housekeeper of the Patches.
We are shown the Patches at their very best as the novel starts, with the world at their feet and loaded with cash with which they make very expensive choices. But, as we get further in, we see things begin to change gradually and we realize that those very choices will be their very downfall. It was quite a good read but it could be very heartbreaking at times as we put ourselves into the shoes of the main characters. All lovers of F. Scott Fitzgerald should read this book if you haven't done so already, and those of you who like reading about the ultra rich in the Roaring Twenties this one is for you. It is the kind of book that you feel you will want to read again. It is that good and I shall miss it.
Reviewed by Heather Marshall Negahdar (SUGAR-CANE 29/06/09)
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Beautiful and Tired
To a certain measure, I agree with those who have given this 5 stars: Fitzgerald's writing is beautiful, and he paints a glorious picture of a privileged lifestyle in the early... Read more
Published 8 days ago by Rummy
As cold and sharp as a martini cocktail
Whilst not in the same league as Fitzgerald's other works and at times a little plodding, this is still worth a read as once again the author effortlessly captures the essence of... Read more
Published 1 month ago by The Collector
Very pleased
I bought this book as a Christmas present, my daughter was very pleased with it especially the beautiful hard cover.
Published 4 months ago by pat
wonderful
Beautiful book & absolutely captivating, I could not stop reading it. A shame about the abundance of typos on the Kindle version though.
Published 4 months ago by Natalie Moore
Downfall was never this beautifully described
This novel, "The Beautiful and the Damned" is, I believe, the second novel written by Fitzgerald. I loved it and I would advise anyone to read it and to buy the book. Read more
Published 6 months ago by steelo
Wonderful
The fact that 'The Beautiful and Damned' is a great story is widely known and this is a book which I enjoy returning to again and again. Read more
Published 6 months ago by KMM
Better than Gatsby...?
Dare I say it! I thought this was better than 'The Great Gatsby'. It was adventures like Gatsby but more intriguing.
Published 7 months ago by Amar
...
I'm not going to review the book here. Just want to say that this anniversary collection by Penguin is so lovely I've bought the all 6 books. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Louise
Absolutely beautiful book
This is book-binding at it's best: lovely and appropriate design, paper and typography. I will never buy an electronic devise that pretends to be a "book" as long as Penguin and... Read more
Published 14 months ago by N. Greenfield
Beautiful Book
A fabulous story & a beautiful book - definately one that will be on my bookshelf for many years to come!
Published 15 months ago by KJ
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