Unusual death—man pierced by his own belt buckle. Boobs Bones Mistaken for John The Baptist Story: A man who wanted an elephant, or some such one of the wisest of beasts who could not talk. Then began to try to teach him to talk. The Dancer Who Found She Could Fly Words A famous writer… Continue reading Ten Story Ideas from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Notebooks
D. H. Lawrence great attempt to synthesize animal and emotional—things he left out. Essential pre-Marxian. Just as I am essentially Marxian. When Whitman said “Oh Pioneers” he said all. Byron’s mountains warm. Reporting the extreme things as if they were the average things will start you on the art of fiction. Work out my hard… Continue reading “I Am Essentially Marxian” and Other Notes from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Notebooks
Nothing is any more permitted in fiction like stage convention of keeping people on stage by coincidences. Must listen for conversation style a la Joyce Nevertheless value of Ernest’s feeling about the pure heart when writing—in other words the comparatively pure heart, the “house in order.” Resent the attempt of the boys and girls who… Continue reading “Books Are Like Brothers” and Other Notes from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Notebooks
A grand duke—“Jimber-jawed Serge.” Name: Umphadel Piluski Gangster Salve Spitale—Saliva Spit. Gooshoofenstein Von Beasinghausen Meglomania McCarthy English clubman named Cumbersom Names Lee Spurgeon, Stoner, Mortimer, Flieshhacker, Henry P. Jacques. Borre. Bryon Appledeck Name for movie house “What’s at the Dementia?” Mr. Schlchgd from Notre Dame in novel. Beauty boy Johnston Name Howya Bartlett Joe Crusoe Hummer for… Continue reading “Jimber-jawed Serge” and Other Names from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Notebooks
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Notebooks are crammed with little sketches, scenes, observations, and, uh, notes (obviously). Although they are brief, his notes on Ernest Hemingway reveal much about Fitzgerald’s agon with Papa. Ernest—until we began trying to walk over each other with cleats. Snubs—Gen. Mannsul, Telulah phone, Hotel O’Connor, Ada Farewell, Toulman party, Barrymore, Talmadge, and M. Davies. Emily… Continue reading “Ernest Taking Me to That Bum Restaurant” and Other References to Hemingway in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Notebooks
From F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Notebooks— TURKEY REMAINS AND HOW TO INTER THEM WITH NUMEROUS SCARCE RECIPES At this post holiday season the refrigerators of the nation are overstuffed with large masses of turkey, the sight of which is calculated to give an adult an attack of dizziness. It seems, therefore, an appropriate time to give the owners… Continue reading F. Scott Fitzgerald’s turkey leftovers
From F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Notebooks— TURKEY REMAINS AND HOW TO INTER THEM WITH NUMEROUS SCARCE RECIPES At this post holiday season the refrigerators of the nation are overstuffed with large masses of turkey, the sight of which is calculated to give an adult an attack of dizziness. It seems, therefore, an appropriate time to give the owners… Continue reading F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Turkey Leftovers
This is April again. Roller skates rain slowly down the street Your voice far away on the phone Once I would have jumped like a clown through a hoop— but “Then the area of infection has increased? …oh …What can I expect after all—I’ve had worse shocks. Anyhow, I know and that’s something.” (Like hell it is,… Continue reading “Our April Letter” — F. Scott Fitzgerald
Art invariably grows out of a period when in general the artist admires his own nation and wants to win its approval. This fact is not altered by the circumstances that his work may take the form of satire for satire is the subtle flattery of a certain minority in a nation. The greatest artists… Continue reading “The two basic stories of all times are Cinderella and Jack the Giant Killer” and other notes from F. Scott Fitzgerald
This is April again. Roller skates rain slowly down the street Your voice far away on the phone Once I would have jumped like a clown through a hoop— but “Then the area of infection has increased? …oh …What can I expect after all—I’ve had worse shocks. Anyhow, I know and that’s something.” (Like hell it is,… Continue reading “Our April Letter” — F. Scott Fitzgerald
Dear Marion, I certainly enjoyed myself. The chow was all good, mostly, but the butter was rancid. The bed was hard but uncomfortable. The talk was over my head but there was some made sense—that part about my being a great guy for instance. I got home sick at the stummuck but I do not… Continue reading “Bread and Butter Letter from a Chicago Gentleman” — F. Scott Fitgerald
From the “Epigrams, Wise Cracks and Jokes” section ofd F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Noteboooks: Suicide and wife arrive in Cuba. Let’s all live together. Debut—the first time a young girl is seen drunk in public. He repeated to himself an old French proverb he had made up that morning. A sleeping porch is a back room with no… Continue reading “Suicide and wife arrive in Cuba” and Other Wise Cracks from F. Scott Fitzgerald
Hot Springs: In a Spring vacation hotel the rain is bad news indeed. The hundred French windows of the great galleries led the eye out to ink-and-water pines snivelling listlessly on to raw brown tennis courts, to desolate hills against soiled white sky. There was “nothing to do” for hotel and resort were one… Continue reading “Hot Springs” — F. Scott Fitzgerald
From F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Notebooks.
Once there was a whole lot of bird seed around the room because an author had adopted a chicken. It was impossible to explain to anyone just why he had adopted the chicken but still more impossible to know why he had bought the bird seed for the chicken. The chicken was later broiled and… Continue reading Birdseed Anecdote — F. Scott Fitzgerald
More from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s magical Notebooks— 143 Days of this February were white and magical, the nights were starry and crystalline. The town lay under a cold glory. 144 Dyed Siberian horse. 145 As thin as a repeated dream. 146 The sea was coming up in little intimidating rushes. 147 The island floated, a boat… Continue reading F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Dyed Siberian Horse” (And Twelve Other Descriptions of Things and Atmosphere)
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