I truly adored this book.

It was incredibly funny, with a magnificent use of language that simply blew me away.

The author had a remarkable ability to immerse the reader completely in the period, making it feel as if you were right there.

Moreover, it was so insightful about the human condition, delving deep into the emotions and motivations of the characters.

I read this book after having seen the Woody Allen film, Midnight in Paris.

It consists of short stories, and to my great shame, I had never read any of Scott Fitzgerald's full length novels before.

However, this wonderful experience with this book has now made me firmly determined to do so.

I can't wait to explore more of Fitzgerald's works and discover the depth and beauty that lies within them.

I am sure that his novels will be just as captivating and thought-provoking as this collection of short stories.

Here we have a carefully curated selection of short stories penned by the renowned F Scott Fitzgerald.

What makes this collection truly remarkable is the diverse range of themes it explores. Fitzgerald, with his unique literary prowess, delves deeply into the complex and often dark world of addiction. Given his own personal background, which was no stranger to the demons of addiction, his portrayal of this theme is both poignant and understandable.

Each story in this collection offers a captivating glimpse into the human psyche, filled with vivid characters and engaging plotlines. Whether you are a die-hard fan of Fitzgerald or simply someone looking for a great read, this selection of short stories is definitely worth your time. So, pick up a copy and lose yourself in the enchanting world of F Scott Fitzgerald's short fiction.

**"Three Unfulfilled People"**

**Part 1: Sally Clarol**

Sally Clarol, a girl from the southern state, dreamed of seeking new challenges in another city. When she visited her lover's home in the northern state, she faced many differences from her hometown. She wasn't used to the cold weather and felt the unappealing aspects of the seemingly new and modern house and city. She was oppressed by the way people behaved and their attitudes. Even though on the outside "they looked good", in the end, she had to face the extremely cold and terrifying cold.

I liked this story from the beginning, and actually, also from the end. It's like a movie that shows both the image, sound, and meaning. Jokingly thinking, if Sally Clarol had a scar on her forehead in the last scene, it might be a cool ending, but it would probably be the same as Hemingway. The question is whether that coldness has completely extinguished the fire in her heart? Has she lost the desire to go out and seek new challenges?

**Part 2: Cadie**

Cadie, a young boy, met a beautiful girl who was the spark in his heart. She created the driving force for him to strive to improve his status and achieve happiness. He succeeded. Finally, when he got close to her, he realized that she was a beauty that couldn't be possessed. But before they separated, he still had a very short and happy time with her. Long after that, when he heard the news that her beauty had faded with time, the fire of desire that had driven him to live gradually went out.

This story reminds me of Gatsby. I like the female character, and then I like the atmosphere of all kinds of suffering caused by love that can't be possessed, but it's not too extreme. Maybe it's because it's a short story. This kind of genre squeezes the heart more than others.

**Part 3: Charles J. Wales (Charlie)**

Charles J. Wales (Charlie), a man who lost his happiness due to the economic depression, also lost his wife who died of a serious illness and his daughter who was under the care of his sister-in-law. He painstakingly built a business and regained his financial status until he succeeded. Then he traveled to Paris, the city of sin in his past life. He hoped to rebuild his family by taking his daughter back. In order to make his sister-in-law agree, he had to prove himself from his past mistakes. But then the consequences of that period of time came back to have a bad influence.

I like this story in that in the end, although the desire may not have been achieved, there is still the possibility of hope for the short time left (before his daughter grows up through childhood).

Squeezing the heart tightly, sympathizing with the little child.

The three unfulfilled people have their differences. Sally Clarol returned to the original point and stayed in a safe area. Cadie lost interest in everything. Charles J. Wales still didn't give up hope.

It was truly enjoyable to simply pick up a short story and read it in one sitting. Fitzgerald, being one of my all-time favorite authors, always manages to engage me with his books. The experience of delving into his works is like embarking on a unique literary journey. However, I must admit that some of the short stories did feel a bit redundant. This was mainly because of the prevalence of common themes. Despite this, there were several short stories that stood out for me. My absolute favorites included "Winter Dreams" and "A Diamond as Big as the Ritz Hotel". These stories had a certain charm and depth that kept me hooked from the very beginning. The characters were well-developed, and the plots were engaging and thought-provoking. Reading these short stories was like uncovering hidden gems within the literary world.

Over the years, I have come to understand that my initial encounter with "Babylon Revisited" is a vital factor contributing to my inclination towards preemptive nostalgia.

Even in the moments when I am most joyously content, there is always a part of my mind already mourning the fact that any present happiness is bound to swiftly become a thing of the past. This particular line has etched itself deeply into my memory and still sends shivers down my spine: "I didn't realize it, but the days came along one after another, and then two years were gone, and everything was gone, and I was gone." What can ever ensure that more good times lie ahead?

As a matter of fact, I first read Fitzgerald's renowned short story during one of the longest periods of happiness I have ever experienced. I was an American student studying in London, away from home for an extended period for the first time, and I was savoring every single minute of it. This story was assigned for a class on expatriate American writers that I was taking. I vividly remember a startling sensation of imagining myself returning at some point in the future to the large, warmly sunlit sitting room where I often was and was at that very moment reading in, and regretfully remembering how truly wonderful that precise moment was and how it was possible that I didn't manage to recognize it at the time. "Babylon Revisited" haunted the remainder of my semester—in a good and productive way, I should add—and, truly, ever since.

At his peak, Fitzgerald crafted prose that shines like countless diamonds on the page. But here, the crystalline phrasing not only glitters—it also wounds.

Love is fragile, she was thinking. It's like a delicate flower that can wither easily. But perhaps the pieces are saved, the things that hovered on lips, that might have been said. The new love words, the tenderness learned, are treasured up for the next lover.

These stories are Fitzgerald at his best. They are just pure, distilled, 140 proof lyricism and nostalgia and romantic notions of love in its most concentrated form. Hemmed in by the constraints of page requirements and magazine editors, in some ways, these stories, word-for-word, are much better products than his novels. Fitzgerald is best enjoyed as a temporary respite from life or a momentary pang of remembrance, I guess like a cigarette. Leave the long form stuff and the tobacco pipes to the Russian masters.

In particular, some of the highlights were Winter Dreams, a Diamond as Big as the Ritz, the Rich Boy, and of course the eponymous Babylon Revisited, the crown jewel of this collection. I don't think there are any bad stories in here, though some are definitely weaker than others (I'm looking at you Absolution). The specific scenes that most resonate are the end of Winter Dreams where the main character realizes the destruction of a memory, the imagery in Ritz of someone trying to bribe god with a Diamond only for god to laugh, and just the absolute despair in Babylon Revisited when the main character's past catches up to him just as he thinks he's escaped its grasp.

Selecting my favorite short story out of the ten in this collection is no easy task. However, The Diamond as Big as the Ritz stands out. Fitzgerald, having first-hand experienced the life of the ultra-rich, imagined this brilliant tale that likely exaggerates the nauseating opulence and ugliness of such a privileged existence. As you stroll through the glittering mansions and overly alluring hallways of these grand homes, everything is both exciting and disorienting. You can marvel and envision yourself owning all these luxuries daily. The pursuit of constantly owning more appeals to a primitive sensation within all of us, perhaps evolved as part of the nearly universal capitalistic societies. It initially feels comfortable and never-ending. But then, you have this eerie sense of the cost of finding oneself so fortunate and relaxed - the metaphorical cost, not the literal one. There is always a dark underbelly that will sooner or later reveal itself, as it does in this story. You witness how there is an instinctive notion of self-preservation and selfishness in maintaining the pristine and never-ending supply of pleasures in life. How this addictive habit of growing one's material resources comes at the expense of deprioritizing everything else in comparison, even other human lives. There seems to be a latent sense of fear in losing what one has accumulated, driving this mania of maintaining one's riches at all costs. Very soon, the sugar of this sweet life starts to sicken. As a foreigner to this extravagant world, you feel panic and desire to escape back to the normal world - where there is at least a sane balance between hunger and satisfaction. If you stay too long in this rich, foreign world that you could never have imagined existed, you will be consumed and subsumed by its system.

I have always been a great admirer of F Scott Fitzgerald. His works are filled with a certain allure and glamour that simply captivates me. They have truly ignited my passion for the 1920s.

However, what makes his stories even more fascinating is the underlying darkness that pervades throughout. The combination of glitz and shadows creates a truly amazing effect.

Some of my favorite works of his include "Babylon Revisited" (which is an absolute classic), "A Diamond as Big as the Ritz", "The Freshest Boy", and "The Ice Palace". I have a deep affection for most of these stories, but unfortunately, a few of them didn't quite live up to my expectations. This is the reason why I gave it 4 stars. Overall, though, Fitzgerald's writing remains a source of inspiration and delight for me.

I read it in one night because I have already read "Crazy Sunday", "The Rich Boy", and "The Lost Decade". However, the translation is excellent, as is the overall editing of the book. "The Crash", the essay that closes the anthology, is outstanding in terms of how the author thought and how it reflects the reading of the journey up to that point.

This book offers a unique perspective on the works of the author. It allows readers to delve deeper into the minds and thoughts of the characters. The stories are engaging and full of emotions.

The translator has done a remarkable job in bringing the original text to life in another language. The attention to detail and the accuracy of the translation make it a pleasure to read.

Overall, this anthology is a must-read for anyone interested in the works of this author. It provides a comprehensive collection of some of his most notable works and offers a great opportunity to explore his literary style and themes.

I really don't care for short stories. I don't know why I read this one. Maybe it was because it was recommended to me, or perhaps I was just looking for something to pass the time. But as I started reading, I found myself getting more and more disinterested.

The characters didn't seem real to me, and the plot was too simple. There wasn't enough depth or complexity to keep my attention. I felt like I was just going through the motions, reading words on a page without really engaging with the story.

I know that some people really enjoy short stories, and I guess that's great for them. But for me, they just don't do it. I prefer longer works of fiction that can really develop the characters and the plot, and take me on a journey. Maybe I'll give short stories another try someday, but for now, I think I'll stick to what I know and love.

Like with Salinger, Fitzgerald's works are also a product of their time.

However, I must admit that some of Fitzgerald's stories had a profound impact on me. They touched me in a way that I couldn't easily forget after reading.

Their themes and characters seemed to resonate with my own experiences and emotions.

Now, I am interested in delving deeper into his novels. It has been far too many years since I read the iconic "The Great Gatsby," and I can't fully recall all the details.

But the memory of that story still lingers in my mind, making me eager to explore more of Fitzgerald's literary world.

I suspect that his other works will offer同样丰富而深刻的阅读体验, filled with the same keen insights into human nature and the complex social dynamics of his era.

I look forward to rediscovering the magic of Fitzgerald's writing and seeing how his stories continue to speak to readers today.

So when I purchased this back in April, I didn't bother to check what stories were included. The first three - "The Ice Palace," "May Day," and "The Diamond as Big as The Ritz" - were all tales that I had read previously in "Jazz-Age Tales." And the latter two are likely among the best short stories of Fitzgerald's career, although he wrote several great ones. However, I was unfamiliar with the other stories in the collection, so it was still a worthwhile purchase.

"The Rich Boy" seemed to go on forever, and I was convinced that I had lost actual years of my life reading it. But in the end, I think Fitzgerald made his point about how being rich doesn't necessarily lead to personal happiness. Strangely enough, as ponderous as the story was, I believe the theme was handled much better in "The Great Gatsby," an entire novel exploring "the rich are different from you and me." Fitzgerald, like Michael Chabon, is at his best when he has the broad canvas of the novel to work with for big themes. "Winter Dreams" tackles much of the same territory as "Gatsby," albeit not as tragically or forcefully, but it was still interesting. When I can make sense of "Absolution," I'll let you know (spoiler alert: I doubt I ever will). I liked "The Freshest Boy" up until the ending, as it reinforced the Fitzgerald trope of "school and friendships are important, don't ya know? And also football." I understand why it ended the way it did, but that doesn't mean I had to like it.

I'm giving this collection a high rating because of the last few stories (as well as "May Day," probably my favorite Fitzgerald short story so far, as it's anything but the typical Fitzgerald story or novel). "Babylon Revisited," set in the aftermath of the great crash of 1929, deals with the consequences of all that excess in the miniature story of a former alcoholic trying to regain custody of his daughter. "Crazy Sunday" is sort of a precursor to "The Last Tycoon," though more from the perspective of a Nick Carraway-like protagonist who finds himself caught between a powerful studio boss and that boss's impetuous movie-star wife. And "The Long Way Out" is a weirdly funny piece about an ultimate irony: how to break the news to a woman just out of a coma that her husband died on the way to pick her up. I'm not sure if Fitzgerald was even aware of Kafka or not, but he seems to capture some of Kafka's odd humor in this one.

"Babylon Revisited" is a short collection of F. Scott Fitzgerald's shorter fiction, and it has two all-time classics in "May Day" and "Diamond" to recommend it. But it's also very good in the last three stories, and I'm sure that in time I'll look more favorably upon the stories that didn't quite grab me (though I doubt "Absolution" will ever do anything more than mystify me). Having read all his novels now, I find that I'm enjoying Fitzgerald's short fiction in intermittent bursts, because once I finish the last few stories, I fear that I won't have anything left to read by him. But "Babylon Revisited" is well worth exploring, even if not every story resonates as strongly as others.