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Babylon Revisited and Other Stories

f. scott fitzgerald

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Babylon revisited --
The lost decade --
The bridal party --
Three hours between planes.

0 pages, Audio Cassette

First published January 1,1931

This edition

Format
0 pages, Audio Cassette
Published
January 9, 1977 by Listening Library
ISBN
9780886900069
ASIN
0886900069
Language

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About the author

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f. scott fitzgerald

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Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald, widely known simply as Scott Fitzgerald, was an American novelist, essayist, and short story writer. He is best known for his novels depicting the flamboyance and excess of the Jazz Age, a term he popularized in his short story collection Tales of the Jazz Age. During his lifetime, he published four novels, four story collections, and 164 short stories. Although he achieved temporary popular success and fortune in the 1920s, Fitzgerald received critical acclaim only after his death and is now widely regarded as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century.
Born into a middle-class family in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Fitzgerald was raised primarily in New York state. He attended Princeton University where he befriended future literary critic Edmund Wilson. Owing to a failed romantic relationship with Chicago socialite Ginevra King, he dropped out in 1917 to join the United States Army during World War I. While stationed in Alabama, he met Zelda Sayre, a Southern debutante who belonged to Montgomery's exclusive country-club set. Although she initially rejected Fitzgerald's marriage proposal due to his lack of financial prospects, Zelda agreed to marry him after he published the commercially successful This Side of Paradise (1920). The novel became a cultural sensation and cemented his reputation as one of the eminent writers of the decade.
His second novel, The Beautiful and Damned (1922), propelled him further into the cultural elite. To maintain his affluent lifestyle, he wrote numerous stories for popular magazines such as The Saturday Evening Post, Collier's Weekly, and Esquire. During this period, Fitzgerald frequented Europe, where he befriended modernist writers and artists of the "Lost Generation" expatriate community, including Ernest Hemingway. His third novel, The Great Gatsby (1925), received generally favorable reviews but was a commercial failure, selling fewer than 23,000 copies in its first year. Despite its lackluster debut, The Great Gatsby is now hailed by some literary critics as the "Great American Novel". Following the deterioration of his wife's mental health and her placement in a mental institute for schizophrenia, Fitzgerald completed his final novel, Tender Is the Night (1934).
Struggling financially because of the declining popularity of his works during the Great Depression, Fitzgerald moved to Hollywood, where he embarked upon an unsuccessful career as a screenwriter. While living in Hollywood, he cohabited with columnist Sheilah Graham, his final companion before his death. After a long struggle with alcoholism, he attained sobriety only to die of a heart attack in 1940, at 44. His friend Edmund Wilson edited and published an unfinished fifth novel, The Last Tycoon (1941), after Fitzgerald's death. In 1993, a new edition was published as The Love of the Last Tycoon, edited by Matthew J. Bruccoli.

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Community Reviews

Rating(4.1 / 5.0, 100 votes)
5 stars
35(35%)
4 stars
36(36%)
3 stars
29(29%)
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100 reviews All reviews
Profile Image for Kimberly .
maegan_kk
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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F. Scott Fitzgerald's works are characteristic, reflecting the American spirit in the Jazz Age.

It is an era of prosperity and extravagance, with a distinct American dream.

The short stories in this volume are easy to read, revealing the life in each era, from the glory before the decline.

It includes the pursuit of dreams, desires, and the conflicts within oneself.

Fitzgerald's writing style is vivid and engaging, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the world he creates.

His works not only show the external appearance of society but also explore the inner world of characters.

Through his stories, we can understand the values and beliefs of the American people during that time.

Overall, Fitzgerald's works are an important part of American literature, leaving a deep mark on the literary history.

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28150199
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I truly enjoy reading Fitzgerald's works because of his remarkable straightforwardness and authenticity.

His stories are not just fictional tales but rather a reflection of real people with their genuine faults and emotions. They vividly depict the mistakes we make in life and how often we mess up our lives by acting impulsively without fully understanding the consequences of our actions.

The writing style is clean and clear, making it easy for readers to follow and understand. Similarly, the point of each story is presented in a clean and unambiguous manner, which showcases Fitzgerald's mastery as a writer.

I have a particular fondness for the characters in his stories. For me, it's all about these fictional people and the insights they can offer about myself that perhaps I wasn't previously aware of. Their experiences and actions serve as a mirror, allowing me to gain a deeper understanding of my own人性 and behavior.

Fitzgerald's works have a profound impact on me, and I continue to be drawn to his writing for its honesty and the valuable lessons it imparts.
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StardustCursader
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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A selection of short stories was presented, and while their content was largely forgettable, the atmosphere creation was truly immense. Just like most of F. Scott Fitzgerald's stories, the setting was in early 20th Century USA. Through his vivid description of cultural intricacies and social norms, the zeitgeist of that era was wonderfully captured.

The best story among them was the curious case of Benjamin Button, which I was already familiar with. However, it was much different from the on-screen adaptation. This version offered a far darker and more brutal outlining of Benjamin's life. It was more of an indictment of ego and narcissism than anything else.

We immediately feel sympathetic toward Benjamin for his numerous struggles. At the same time, we are disappointed that he lacked the foresight to avoid repeating those mistakes. It is truly a tear jerker and the saving grace of this selection.

Overall, despite the forgettable content of some stories, the collection as a whole is redeemed by the powerful atmosphere and the poignant exploration of human nature in the case of Benjamin Button.
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PlayerFar
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I really liked the writing style. The short story form was extremely convenient for me to follow and understand. It was like a gentle breeze guiding me through the pages. Although I can't recall specific details about it at the moment, I do remember that reading some of the stories was a truly wonderful experience. These stories had a unique charm as they often delved into human emotions that are usually very hard to put into words. They managed to capture the essence of those complex feelings, making me feel a deep connection with the characters and their experiences. It was as if the authors had a magical pen that could bring those intangible emotions to life on the paper.

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Sunther
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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It is truly a great shame that such a talented writer as Fitzgerald passed away at such a young age. His works are nothing short of masterpieces. Among them, “Babylon Revisited”, “The Ice Palace”, and “Crazy Sunday” are my absolute favorites.

Fitzgerald’s short stories and novels offer the reader a unique and in-depth look into the lives and minds of the “lost generation” and the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. Through his vivid descriptions and complex characters, he manages to capture the essence of an era that was both充满希望 and filled with despair.

His writing style is both beautiful and engaging, making it easy for the reader to become fully immersed in the world he has created. Whether it is the tragic love affairs of his characters or the social and moral issues of the time, Fitzgerald’s works always leave a lasting impression on the reader.

In conclusion, Fitzgerald’s untimely death is a great loss to the world of literature. However, his works will continue to be read and cherished for generations to come, serving as a testament to his remarkable talent and creativity.
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SakataMaerii
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I have a deep affection for the emotional scene. It has a profound impact on me, as it vividly portrays how our past can continuously haunt us.

In this scene, the emotions are palpable, and it makes me reflect on my own life experiences. The way the past is presented seems to echo the real-life situations that many of us face.

It serves as a reminder that we cannot escape our history, no matter how hard we try. The memories, both good and bad, have a way of resurfacing and influencing our present.

This emotional scene forces us to confront our past and come to terms with it. It shows that only by acknowledging and dealing with our past can we truly move forward and find peace within ourselves.

Overall, it is a powerful and thought-provoking scene that leaves a lasting impression on the viewer.
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Simplicity1511
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Please provide the article that needs to be rewritten and expanded so that I can help you.
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tsunvera
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I've read this collection several times over the decades. Growing up, I devoured Fitzgerald's short stories, reading and re-reading them incessantly. I saw them as life lessons for the glamorous life I aspired to, and as an exploration of what it means to be an American. What I'm trying to convey is that Fitzgerald had a profound impact on the person I became, albeit perhaps not in the ways I had initially hoped. Vast wealth never materialized for me. In fact, I struggle to make ends meet. But there's a certain fatalism in Fitzgerald's work that insidiously crept into my heart. I see it so vividly now, and I also detect a certain self-loathing in Fitzgerald that eluded me when I first picked up this book in high school over 30 years ago.

That being said, the short stories still largely resonate with me. "Absolution" remains one of my all-time favorite short stories. Additionally, I've always been captivated by the dystopian fantasy in "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz."

This time around, however, two stories that I previously didn't rate highly, "The Freshest Boy" and "May Day," completely seized my attention. I was astonished. "The Freshest Boy" doesn't resemble a typical Fitzgerald short story at all. With its nuanced insights, it's more akin to something Alice Munro might pen. I'm certain this story would have bored my younger self to tears in high school. Now, though, it has left me in awe.
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