This Side of Paradise Audiobook

" This seemingly autobiographical book of Fitzgerald's years at Princeton and into the early 1920's did not do much for me. The decadence that he shows so brilliantly in GATSBY was here, but not nearly so well written. I didn't care so much for it. "

" Interesting as Fitzgerald's first novel and as a commentary on the early 1900's, at least the class system that main character Amory Blaine is part of. It doesn't translate well for today's reader due to all the cultural references and names that no longer have meaning in our current times. The novel has many weaknesses, mostly structural and narrative, although there are parts of it that show the talent of a budding literary genius. "

" a story told as only F. Scott Fitsgerald can "

" It was interesting to read this book before reading The Great Gatsby. It also helped to have my sons notes from class - not an easy read! "

" its amazing how fitzgerald can capture the human nature of a growing young man trying to explore his potential with a chameleon skin to ultimately discover his persona amidst his personality. I really love this book...it is a favorite for sure. And i would say better than great gatbsy. "

" According to the front matter in the edition I read, this novel represents an important first step in Fitzgerald's development as a writer. I get that and I see the flashes of brilliance, but overall, this book didn't do it for me. It felt like a writing experiment - important from a literature history perspective but not all that much fun to read. "

" Gatsby remains a great novel despite how they shove it down our throats in High School, but I absolutely hated This Side of Paradise. I didn't care one bit about the coming-of-age of this brat. "

" I like it better than Gatsby (might not be as good, though) "

" My word, this was a tough read (and I was actually listening to it!). As I understand, this book was a compilation of a lot of Fitzgerald's poetry woven into a narrative tale. In my opinion, it would have been better just left as a poetry compilation (some of his poetry is really quite pretty), and to have a separate book with the narrative story (could have been an okay story on it's own, without the fluff). The language was too convoluted, which made the characters fairly unbelievable. I'm glad I read it, but I won't read it again. "

" I typically enjoy coming of age-style novels, and I have enjoyed much of what I have read from F. Scott in the past, but this was just a little too slow, with just a little too much poetry, for me to fully enjoy. I really wanted to finish without resorting to skimming but it was a difficult task, especially as the end drew near and I just felt in my bones that there wasn't anything resembling a satisfying ending in sight. "

" I am really struggling with whether to give this book a three or four star rating. Ultimately I will go with a three. I think that the poetry is too much. It adds to the book, but only in certain places. Otherwise it just seems posturing as a Princeton hack. The fact that he wrote it at 24 is astounding, and I see bits and pieces of him come shining through. I wish there would have been some more focus on the war because I think the effect it had on him had to be so much greater than he let's on. "

" Fitzgerald's first novel is disjointed, and was cobbled together from some of his early works. Nevertheless, it's an interesting look into his college years and the years immediately following World War I, as Amory flirted with several ideas - and romances. The bits that were written as poetry were a different look at Fitzgerald's writing, but not nearly as good as his prose. "

" For the ones who want to learn how to blow people away with their writing. "

" I just couldn't get into this one. I felt like I was reading a report on someone's life a opposed to a story with a plot and, we'll, a point. "

" Great coming of age story. "

" I'm not one to shy away from romantic drivel, but if I ate a candy for every line about Amory's soul, I'd have diabetes. "

" Pretty good, enjoyed while reading, don't remember much about it now. "

" I liked it. I'm not sure if I liked it more than Gatsby. "

" Not as uniform and polished as The Great Gatsby, but it provides eloquent insights in the life of the author at 23, with some truly breathtaking flights of powerful prose. "

" I read it for a school assignment. I found it to be kind of interesting, but not something I would pick up on my own. Just okay. "

" I read it for a school assignment. I found it to be kind of interesting, but not something I would pick up on my own. Just okay. "

" Fitzgerald does paint a word portrait of a time, of a class, of a self-absorbed culture. So self-absorbed that I never felt any attachment or interest to the main character and simply stopped reading the book. The editor stated that the book is parallel to Fitzgerald's life. big yawn. "

" I hated this book, the main character is so full of himself and it really just dragged for me. "

" Im finding this tough going... I havent been "hooked" as I thought I would, but do keep going back to plod through a little more. "

" I read it because it is a classic so I thought I would see what all the hype is about...eh, it was fine. I suppose I would feel differently if I read it in the 1920s and had a better sense of the Jazz Age. "

" While not as thematically deep as Gatsby, Paradise offers a delicatly (sp?) clear picture of youth, dreams, and the things that deystroy them. "

" Amory is a lost spoiled brat thus far, and needs to gain life experience in order to realize his blessings. "

" Read this after you graduate from college. It's an incredible depiction of the stage of growing up in your twenties. I was captivated by this book. It needs to be read. Fitzgerald is at his finest. "

" Definitely different, but I liked how he was from Wisconsin and then attended Princeton. It's just like one of my friend's brother's. :) "

" Got to see early Fitzgerald "

" I liked it when I was younger, but this is really not one of Fitzgerald's notable books "

" eh. it was ok . "

" I want to give this book 3 1/2 stars, but that's not possible! I loved the characters a lot, and the stoyline was great as well. It was a typical Fitzgerald book,to say the least. "

" one of the most badass works of fiction i've read to date. "

" Beautifully written, engaging, and deep. A great read. "

" I read it expecting another Gatsby, but it very much was not. It lacked Gatsby's style and characters! But that perhaps is more my fault than the book itself. "

" This is one I read more for its place in literature than because I was compelled by the story. Not that the story was uninteresting, but the book's value to me was in learning more about Fitzgerald and the generation and time he describes. "

" And its called ""THIS" Side of Paradise"....how can you make that mistake!? "

" Interesting if a bit unfocused. Some interesting characters and Fitzgerald proves to be a powerful poetic voice in his first novel. "

" It speaks to the quality of the writing in this book that I enjoyed it so much in spite of how much I wanted to set Amory on fire. "

" I tried, really I did. I just hated this book. "

" Fitzgerlds first book, it made literary critics and the public take notice. Definetly hints at the greatness that would come in this mans writing. "

" Cita que describe al libro: "I'm restless. My whole generation is restless"-- Amory Blaine. "

" Meh. Sort of interesting, sort of why did I waste my time. "

" I believe that This Side of Paradise is a superior story to the Great Gatsby. If you are deciding between the two, I recommend reading this first. "

" I quite enjoyed the sentences and paragraphs in this novel; as a whole story I didn't think it quite stuck together - probably first-novel-itis. I'm glad this wasn't my first Fitzgerald but I'm glad I got around to reading it. "

" This Side of Paradise was excellent. I really like all of Fitzgerald's works, but I like 'Paradise' and The Great Gatsby the best. If you haven't read it, you should at some point find time for it. "

" This may have been the first book to really make me think. At first I was bored of it, of the progress, but Fitzgerald made up for it in the end. If only people spoke like this now, with enthusiasm and intelligence, instead of fallacies and passionless metaphors. "

" F. Scott Fitzgerald started as brilliantly as he finished. "

" One man's journey from being a snobbish POS to a depressed and disenchanted POS. "

" a must read for post college graduates. I only wish i read it sooner. The final chapters really get to the heart of the story from youthful exuberance, disillusionment, to the realities of life. "

" Second favorite Fitzgerald book!!! Gatsby is still number one !!!! But this book was great I loved how the story correlated with Fitzgerald's real life !!!! "

" Made me wish I was a Princeton man "

" It started off promising but then it got really boring "

" It started off promising but then it got really boring "

" This is one I read more for its place in literature than because I was compelled by the story. Not that the story was uninteresting, but the book's value to me was in learning more about Fitzgerald and the generation and time he describes. "

" Interesting but his later novels are better "

" It was better than, The Beautiful and Damned, but both books have sort of a depressing theme that life is without purpose. I want to read The Great Gatsby before the new movie comes out, but I fear it will influence me to go sit in a mud puddle and wait to die. "

" Before Holden there was Amory. "

" Nice, but: fire is FAST oxidation, not SLOW. (That's rust!) C'mon, Scott. "

" Might be my favorite book. "

" While it captured an era beautifully and I can see how this is a classic, I did NOT enjoy this one. "

" Nice, but: fire is FAST oxidation, not SLOW. (That's rust!) C'mon, Scott. "

" The Shelf: Accepted. Favored Author status pending. "

" Still radical and relevant. A masterpiece. "

" Still radical and relevant. A masterpiece. "

" Still radical and relevant. A masterpiece. "

" Still radical and relevant. A masterpiece. "

" Still radical and relevant. A masterpiece. "

" This seemingly autobiographical book of Fitzgerald's years at Princeton and into the early 1920's did not do much for me. The decadence that he shows so brilliantly in GATSBY was here, but not nearly so well written. I didn't care so much for it. "

" Compared to his other books, definitely not his best. But compared to everyone else's books? Pretty damned good. "

" This seemingly autobiographical book of Fitzgerald's years at Princeton and into the early 1920's did not do much for me. The decadence that he shows so brilliantly in GATSBY was here, but not nearly so well written. I didn't care so much for it. "

" Compared to his other books, definitely not his best. But compared to everyone else's books? Pretty damned good. "

" Compared to his other books, definitely not his best. But compared to everyone else's books? Pretty damned good. "

" Often overlooked. Very good novel. "

" This seemingly autobiographical book of Fitzgerald's years at Princeton and into the early 1920's did not do much for me. The decadence that he shows so brilliantly in GATSBY was here, but not nearly so well written. I didn't care so much for it. "

" Compared to his other books, definitely not his best. But compared to everyone else's books? Pretty damned good. "

" Often overlooked. Very good novel. "

" This seemingly autobiographical book of Fitzgerald's years at Princeton and into the early 1920's did not do much for me. The decadence that he shows so brilliantly in GATSBY was here, but not nearly so well written. I didn't care so much for it. "

" Compared to his other books, definitely not his best. But compared to everyone else's books? Pretty damned good. "

" This seemingly autobiographical book of Fitzgerald's years at Princeton and into the early 1920's did not do much for me. The decadence that he shows so brilliantly in GATSBY was here, but not nearly so well written. I didn't care so much for it. "

" one of the most badass works of fiction i've read to date. "

" one of the most badass works of fiction i've read to date. "

" one of the most badass works of fiction i've read to date. "

" one of the most badass works of fiction i've read to date. "

" one of the most badass works of fiction i've read to date. "

" This Side of Paradise was excellent. I really like all of Fitzgerald's works, but I like 'Paradise' and The Great Gatsby the best. If you haven't read it, you should at some point find time for it. "

" *2.5 It was alright, but it was such a long read. "

" This Side of Paradise was excellent. I really like all of Fitzgerald's works, but I like 'Paradise' and The Great Gatsby the best. If you haven't read it, you should at some point find time for it. "

" *2.5 It was alright, but it was such a long read. "

" *2.5 It was alright, but it was such a long read. "

" *2.5 It was alright, but it was such a long read. "

" *2.5 It was alright, but it was such a long read. "

" This Side of Paradise was excellent. I really like all of Fitzgerald's works, but I like 'Paradise' and The Great Gatsby the best. If you haven't read it, you should at some point find time for it. "

" This Side of Paradise was excellent. I really like all of Fitzgerald's works, but I like 'Paradise' and The Great Gatsby the best. If you haven't read it, you should at some point find time for it. "

" This Side of Paradise was excellent. I really like all of Fitzgerald's works, but I like 'Paradise' and The Great Gatsby the best. If you haven't read it, you should at some point find time for it. "

" Se proprio devo scegliere, preferisco di gran lunga il Grande Gatsby. "

" Se proprio devo scegliere, preferisco di gran lunga il Grande Gatsby. "

" Se proprio devo scegliere, preferisco di gran lunga il Grande Gatsby. "

" Se proprio devo scegliere, preferisco di gran lunga il Grande Gatsby. "

" Se proprio devo scegliere, preferisco di gran lunga il Grande Gatsby. "

" The writing is a bit experimental for Fitzgerald, but this book really captured me. My favorite of his novels. "

" The writing is a bit experimental for Fitzgerald, but this book really captured me. My favorite of his novels. "

" The writing is a bit experimental for Fitzgerald, but this book really captured me. My favorite of his novels. "

" The writing is a bit experimental for Fitzgerald, but this book really captured me. My favorite of his novels. "

" The writing is a bit experimental for Fitzgerald, but this book really captured me. My favorite of his novels. "

" I actually liked this book better than The Great Gatsby. It was well written and easy to read. A typical Victorian novel but what's not to like about that? I love the mystery in the ending. "

" I actually liked this book better than The Great Gatsby. It was well written and easy to read. A typical Victorian novel but what's not to like about that? I love the mystery in the ending. "

" I actually liked this book better than The Great Gatsby. It was well written and easy to read. A typical Victorian novel but what's not to like about that? I love the mystery in the ending. "

" I actually liked this book better than The Great Gatsby. It was well written and easy to read. A typical Victorian novel but what's not to like about that? I love the mystery in the ending. "

" I actually liked this book better than The Great Gatsby. It was well written and easy to read. A typical Victorian novel but what's not to like about that? I love the mystery in the ending. "

" This book was SO SLOW. I could barely get through it......I was ambitious and wanted to read some of the classics. This wasn't a good one to start with. "