F. Scott Fitzgerald
1896–1940
F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940) was an American novelist born in St. Paul, Minnesota. He attended Princeton University, though he left without graduating to join the army during World War I. Fitzgerald's early literary success came with the publication of his debut novel, 'This Side of Paradise' (1920), which captured the spirit of the Jazz Age. He married Zelda Sayre in 1920, and their tumultuous relationship often mirrored the extravagance and struggles of the era. Throughout his life, Fitzgerald grappled with financial instability and personal challenges, including Zelda's mental illness and his own battle with alcoholism. He spent much of the 1920s in Europe among the expatriate community of writers and artists, before returning to the United States in the 1930s.
Fitzgerald is widely regarded as one of the defining voices of twentieth-century American literature. His most celebrated work, 'The Great Gatsby' (1925), is featured on this site and remains a cornerstone of modernist fiction. Through its first-person narrative, evocative imagery, and incisive critique of the American Dream, the novel captures the allure and disillusionment of the Roaring Twenties. Fitzgerald's lyrical prose and exploration of themes such as wealth, class, and longing have secured his place in the literary canon. Though his work was underappreciated during his lifetime, Fitzgerald's legacy endures, with 'The Great Gatsby' considered a quintessential reflection on the complexities of American society.
