“Profound, overwhelmingly moving . . . a richly complex love story.” — New York Times
Acclaimed biographer Nancy Milford brings to life the tormented, elusive personality of Zelda Sayre and clarifies as never before Zelda’s relationship with her husband F. Scott Fitzgerald—tracing the inner disintegration of a gifted, despairing woman, torn by the clash between her husband’s career and her own … clash between her husband’s career and her own talent.
Zelda Sayre’s stormy life spanned from notoriety as a spirited Southern beauty to success as a gifted novelist and international celebrity at the side of her husband, F. Scott Fitzgerald. Zelda and Fitzgerald were one of the most visible couples of the Jazz Age, inhabiting and creating around them a world of excitement, romance, art, and promise. Yet their tumultuous relationship precipitated a descent into depression and mental instability for Zelda, leaving her to spend the final twenty years of her life in hospital care, until a fire at a sanitarium claimed her life.
Incorporating years of exhaustive research and interviews, Milford illuminates Zelda’s nuanced and elusive personality, giving character to both her artistic vibrancy and to her catastrophic collapse.
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A very detailed and meticulously researched biography of this truly enigmatic woman. Using Zelda’s contemporaries’ accounts, Zelda and Scott’s correspondence against the drop of a historical background, the author paints a complicated and fascinating portrait of a woman who served as a muse to one of the most distinctive voices of 20th century …
Long spaces of back and forth boring letters between Zelda and F. Scott. I had to skip so much of this book. The end was disappointing as well the author must have been tired of writing such a long book and finished up quick. But there was a good description of her personality. You got a good idea of what she must have been like.
A little long .
I’m having a hard time finishing the book which seems a little too long to me. I like reading non-fiction and was interested in learning more about the Fitzgerald’s. Unfortunately, their charmed life derails because of alcoholism and mental health issues. I’m quite sure there will be no happy ending. I think I would have enjoyed a condensed …
I love words and reading but this book almost cured me. So many words, so few at all interesting. If you want to know more, far far more, about a drunk and a pathetic mental patient, both incredibly selfish and have a lot of time on your hands go ahead and read it. Hours you will never get back!
Very interesting bio of Zelda Fitzgerald. Such a waste of talent and promise.
It’s disturbing to me that even after the publication of this exhaustively researched book, people still prefer Scotty’s version over Zelda’s. What I understand is that F. Scott Fitzgerald was jealous of his more talented wife, stole from her diaries and published her words as his own, simultaneously having her committed to various mental …
While the book was informative, it would have benefited from some judicious editing. Long passages of Zelda’s fiction felt like filler and served only to make the book a tougher read. From a technical standpoint, there were a lot of typos in the ebook that also distracted from the story.
Much too long. Author could have cut out 200 pages and story would’ve been the same. Somewhat redundant.
tedious, but at the same time entriging. I’ve always been curious about this couple.
Enjoyed learning about Zelda but sometimes hard to follow.
very hard to follow
Too long. Got bored with it…
not one to write home about … very sad.
Zelda Sayre and F. Scott Fitzgerald and their turbulent marriage. While both of them held so much promise, they were their own worst enemies. Fitzgerald was an alcoholic who blamed his problems on Zelda, and because Zelda couldn’t be Scott in her writing and other talents, she had her own issues which landed her in a sanitarium for many years of …
A informative look at a talented but troubled woman
Everything you could ever want to know about Zelda Fitzgerald and a whole lot about F.Scott besides. Give a complete picture of the relationship.
There was a period of time when I was very intrigued by F. Scott Fitzgerald’s books. That led to further exploration into his life, which led to his wife, Zelda. She was one of the great tragic characters of the early 20th century. If she were around today, she’d no doubt be a celebrity plastered on the cover of People Magazine.