The Collected Writings of Zelda Fitzgerald

by Zelda Fitzgerald

Book Overview

Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald has long been perceived as the tragic "other half" of the Scott and Zelda legend. Born in Montgomery, Alabama, the high-spirited tomboy turned flapper was talented in dance, painting, and writing but lived in the shadow of her husband's success. Her writing can be experienced on its own terms in Matthew Bruccoli's meticulously edited The Collected Writings of Zelda Fitzgerald.

The collection includes Zelda's...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0817308849
• ISBN13: 9780817308841
• Release Date: March 1997
• Publisher: University Alabama Press
• Length: 512 Pages
• Weight: 1.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

More than just a wife

If all you know about Zelda Fitzgerald is that she was married to F. Scott, you owe it to yourself to read this book. In addition, I recommend Dear Scott, Dearest Zelda as well as Hemingway vs. Fitzgerald: The Rise and Fall of a Literary Friendship. Zelda was not only a writer, but an accomplished artist and dancer as well. Usually remembered only for her troubled marriage (and her acclaimed husband) and her well-documented bout with mental illness, she shows an aptitude for writing in this collection including her only published novel, several short stories, a dozen articles and a number of letters written to her husband over the course of their tumultuous relationship. Perhaps she will never receive the accolades of her infamous husband, but she definitely deserves to be recognized for her own talents.

My favorite book of all time.

Why do you ask? Because of all the other works of literature out there, this one is among the very few which commands my attention with its dizzying abstract imagery and depth. Zelda Fitzgerald was known chiefly as being Mrs. Francis Scott Fitzgerald, which was something she tried to overthrow by becoming a dancer, an artist, and a writer. For those who are interested in reading Zelda's work, this is the only book you need to buy, as it includes her novel "Save Me the Waltz", her play "Scandalabra", as well as her many short stories and articles."Save Me the Waltz" is a gorgeous book which Zelda modelled after her own life. Scott and Scottie Fitzgerald are David and Bonnie Knight, Judge Austin and Millie Beggs are Judge Anthony and Minnie Sayre (Zelda's parents), Joan Beggs is Clothilde Sayre (one of Zelda's sisters), Jacques Chevre-Feuille is Edouard Jozan, etc etc. The parallels are impossible to miss if you already know about Zelda's life. It is interesting to read Zelda's many descriptions, for you can actually imagine in your mind what she actually saw."Scandalabra" is a light comedic play which, if given a decent production and cast, would be a huge stage hit. Sadly, as far as I know there have only been a couple of productions and each of them were dismal failures. In order to inherit his wealthy uncle's fortune, a young, naive and happily married man must evolve into a scoundrel and paint his wife as an adulteress. All of the characters are careless beings trying to live in a serious world, and therefore it is hard to capture this strange balance on the stage.Her short stories are all short and sweet vignettes, many of them were published under Scott's byline so they would earn more money rather than if they were only under Zelda's name. Among the best: "A Couple of Nuts", "Our Own Movie Queen" and "Miss Ella". Her articles were mostly done from the perspective of a celebrity's wife, and so naturally they are light pieces of fluff meant to build on the Fitzgerald myth.If asked to describe this book in just one word, I would have to refuse. There is no single word that can do this collection justice.

a beautiful, surreal book

Zelda Fitzgerald spent much of her life trying to struggle out of the shadow of her famous husband. For many years she was both a literal and figurative inspiration for his work, often helping him with his stories. This book of her writings allows her to finally take her own place in the fiction world. Her novel, Save Me the Waltz, is an incredible book in which language becomes surrealistic art. There are two sides to every story, and it is interesting to hear Zelda's interpretation of her life with Fitzgerald. The novel itself is a gradual emotional and physical breakdown as it documents a woman on her voyage of self discovery and artistic fulfillment. It has been said that Zelda was a true original and, once encountered, was never forgotten. The same can be said about her work. Though she will unfortunately always be paired and compared with Fizgerald, her voice and style is all her own.