Something

This Side of Paradise was published in 1920. It is F. Scott Fitzgerald's first novel. The main character is Amory Blaine, a handsome young lad who is a passionate man in general, and who is particularly passionate about poetry. He spends the first years of his life very comfortably, for his father does not lack money. His sole company is that of his mother, who is a fascinating woman, to say the least. He then goes to boarding school, where he prepares himself to life in Princeton. Along the way, he makes a few friends and meets a few girls. Towards the end of his studies, Worl War I begins and Amory is enrolled in the army. His military career does not last long, however, and does not seem to have any great impact on him. After the war, he meets the love of his life, only to lose her after a few months. The only thing left for Amory is to try and find his place in the world.

This book is interesting because its main characters, if they truly existed, would probably annoy the hell out of me. The fact that they live in the 1920s, however, seems to make up for it. Also, F. Scott Fitzgerald's descriptions of female characters are simply extraordinary: they all seem like incredibly superficial creatures, yet they remain utterly irresistible...