Tales of the Jazz Age
Encyclopedia
Tales of the Jazz Age (1922) is a collection of eleven short stories
by F. Scott Fitzgerald
. Divided into three separate parts, according to subject matter, it includes one of his better-known short stories, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". Several of the stories had also been published earlier, independently, in either The Metropolitan
, Saturday Evening Post, Smart Set, Collier's, Chicago Tribune
, or Vanity Fair
.
This is a Southern story, with the setting laid in the small Lily of Tarleton, Georgia. Fitzgerald wrote that he had "a profound affection for Tarleton, but somehow whenever I write a story about it I receive letters from all over the South denouncing me in no uncertain terms." Written shortly after his first novel was published, the author also collaborated with his wife on certain scenes.
The story momentarily follows the life of a "jelly-bean", or an idler, of Jim Powell. An invitation to a dance with the old crowd revives his dreams of social advancement and love, until the consequences of drink and power of money come through and ruin them.
In the short introduction to this short story, Fitzgerald wrote, "I suppose that of all the stories I have ever written this one cost me the least travail and perhaps gave me the most amusement." The story, he confessed, was written "with the express purpose of buying a platinum and diamond wrist watch which cost six hundred dollars", and took seven hours to finish. Though it was the least-liked story by Fitzgerald in the volume, it was included in the O. Henry Memorial Collection (of the O. Henry Award
) of 1920.
Published as a novelette in the "Smart Set" in July, 1920, "May Day" relates a series of events which took place in the spring of the previous year, during the "general hysteria" which inaugurated the Jazz Age
.
Fitzgerald's introduction captures the spirit of the book fairly:
Written almost six years before being added to this collection, this story was written in Fitzgerald's undergraduate days at Princeton
. Considerably revised, it was published in the
"Smart Set" in 1921. At the time of its conception Fitzgerald had wanted to be a poet, and was interested in the ring of every phrase.
This story was written just after the author completed the first draft of his second novel. However it may seem, the story was supposed to be in the present time/tense. It was published in the "Metropolitan".
Written, like "Tarquin of Cheapside", at Princeton, this sketch was published years later in "Vanity Fair."
Short Stories
Short Stories may refer to:*A plural for Short story*Short Stories , an American pulp magazine published from 1890-1959*Short Stories, a 1954 collection by O. E...
by F. Scott Fitzgerald
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was an American author of novels and short stories, whose works are the paradigm writings of the Jazz Age, a term he coined himself. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century. Fitzgerald is considered a member of the "Lost...
. Divided into three separate parts, according to subject matter, it includes one of his better-known short stories, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". Several of the stories had also been published earlier, independently, in either The Metropolitan
The Metropolitan
The AJC Metropolitan is an AJC Group 1 Australian Thoroughbred horse race held under open handicap conditions, for horses aged three years old and upwards, over a distance of 2,400 metres . It is one of the main races in the Sydney Spring Carnival held in early October at Randwick Racecourse, along...
, Saturday Evening Post, Smart Set, Collier's, Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
, or Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
.
My Last Flappers
- "The Jelly-Bean"
This is a Southern story, with the setting laid in the small Lily of Tarleton, Georgia. Fitzgerald wrote that he had "a profound affection for Tarleton, but somehow whenever I write a story about it I receive letters from all over the South denouncing me in no uncertain terms." Written shortly after his first novel was published, the author also collaborated with his wife on certain scenes.
The story momentarily follows the life of a "jelly-bean", or an idler, of Jim Powell. An invitation to a dance with the old crowd revives his dreams of social advancement and love, until the consequences of drink and power of money come through and ruin them.
- "The Camel's BackThe Camel's Back- Personnel :Psapp* Carim Clasmann* Galia DurantAdditional personnel* Alessandro Antonio Palmitessa - saxophone, "I Want That" and "Marshrat"* Bekah Nelson - additional strings, "Part Like Waves"* - additional strings, "Part Like Waves"...
"
In the short introduction to this short story, Fitzgerald wrote, "I suppose that of all the stories I have ever written this one cost me the least travail and perhaps gave me the most amusement." The story, he confessed, was written "with the express purpose of buying a platinum and diamond wrist watch which cost six hundred dollars", and took seven hours to finish. Though it was the least-liked story by Fitzgerald in the volume, it was included in the O. Henry Memorial Collection (of the O. Henry Award
O. Henry Award
The O. Henry Award is the only yearly award given to short stories of exceptional merit. The award is named after the American master of the form, O. Henry....
) of 1920.
- "May DayMay Day (short story)"May Day" is a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald published in Smart Set in 1920.-Plot:The story uses the May Day Riots of 1919 as historical backdrop...
"
Published as a novelette in the "Smart Set" in July, 1920, "May Day" relates a series of events which took place in the spring of the previous year, during the "general hysteria" which inaugurated the Jazz Age
Jazz Age
The Jazz Age was a movement that took place during the 1920s or the Roaring Twenties from which jazz music and dance emerged. The movement came about with the introduction of mainstream radio and the end of the war. This era ended in the 1930s with the beginning of The Great Depression but has...
.
- "Porcelain and Pink"
Fantasies
The following short stories were written in what Fitzgerald called his "second manner". They were designed for the author's own amusement, as he states in his introduction to the volume.- "The Diamond as Big as the RitzThe Diamond as Big as the RitzThe Diamond as Big as the Ritz is a novella by novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald. It was first published in the June 1922 issue of The Smart Set magazine, and was included in Fitzgerald's 1922 short story collection Tales of the Jazz Age...
"
- "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Fitzgerald's introduction captures the spirit of the book fairly:
This story was inspired by a remark of Mark TwainMark TwainSamuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
's to the effect that
it was a pity that the best part of life came at the beginning and the
worst part at the end. By trying the experiment upon only one man in a
perfectly normal world I have scarcely given his idea a fair trial.
Several weeks after completing it, I discovered an almost identical
plot in Samuel ButlerSamuel ButlerSamuel Butler may refer to:*Samuel Butler , author of Hudibras*Samuel Butler , classical scholar, schoolmaster at Shrewsbury, Bishop of Lichfield...
's "Note-books."
The story was published in "Collier's" last summer and provoked this
startling letter from an anonymous admirer in Cincinnati:
"Sir--
I have read the story Benjamin Button in Collier's and I wish to say
that as a short story writer you would make a good lunatic I have seen
many pieces of cheese in my life but of all the pieces of cheese I
have ever seen you are the biggest piece. I hate to waste a piece of
stationary on you but I will."
- "Tarquin of Cheapside"
Written almost six years before being added to this collection, this story was written in Fitzgerald's undergraduate days at Princeton
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
. Considerably revised, it was published in the
"Smart Set" in 1921. At the time of its conception Fitzgerald had wanted to be a poet, and was interested in the ring of every phrase.
- "Oh Russet Witch!"
This story was written just after the author completed the first draft of his second novel. However it may seem, the story was supposed to be in the present time/tense. It was published in the "Metropolitan".
Unclassified Masterpieces
- "The Lees of Happiness"
- "Mr. Icky"
- "Jemina"
Written, like "Tarquin of Cheapside", at Princeton, this sketch was published years later in "Vanity Fair."
External links
- Tales of the Jazz Age at Project GutenbergProject GutenbergProject Gutenberg is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks". Founded in 1971 by Michael S. Hart, it is the oldest digital library. Most of the items in its collection are the full texts of public domain books...
. - Tales of the Jazz Age. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1922. Scanned book from Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
.