The Great Gatsby + The Beautiful and Damned (ePub)

F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940) is widely regarded as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century. His literary career is marked by his remarkable ability to capture the spirit of his age-the Roaring Twenties-with its opulent highs and despairing lows. Fitzgerald's novel 'The Great Gatsby' (1925) is considered a masterpiece of American literature and is an exquisitely crafted tale of loss, love, and the elusive nature of the American dream. Similarly, 'The Beautiful and Damned' (1922), which precedes 'Gatsby,' explores the self-destructive tendencies of the elite and the dissolution of marriage amid the backdrop of hedonism and moral decline. Fitzgerald's narratives often revolve around the themes of wealth, ambition, and the dazzling but destructive allure of status and success. His works are heralded for their rich symbolism, lyrical prose, and deep psychological insight into the complexities of human nature and the American experience. A member of the 'Lost Generation', Fitzgerald's personal life was as tumultuous as his professional one, with his marriage to Zelda Sayre mirroring the vicissitudes he narrated in his fiction. The tragic dimensions of his life and his battles with alcoholism have often been seen as parallel to the larger existential despair that he portrayed in his characters. Fitzgerald's legacy continues to influence writers and artists, and his novels remain integral to American literary canon and are widely studied for their craft and cultural significance.